Can anything good come out of Nazareth?

Reading: Isaiah 52-54, Psalm 102, Acts 6, and 1 Corinthians 16

Scripture: Isaiah 53:2-3, For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Thoughts: So often in church Isaiah 53:5-6 are quoted, reminding us of the prophetic sacrifice that Jesus was going to make. Reading Isaiah 53 today I noticed in the first few verses that it describes his background. The root from dry ground reminded where Nathanael says to Philip “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” This was a place that was a small town without much there and no of a history of greatness. There was not much information on the appearance of Jesus but being from this poor town and a carpenters son I would not expect a lot, as I read this it sounds like he would have been very unassuming and possibly easily missed, just looking like everyone else. To me this makes his message all that much more powerful, in this day and age, we are so focused on appearance and how we are perceived that it would make sense that if he didn’t look like a king or have a beauty that would draw people to him like David’s son Absalom, He could easily be missed until the authority in his words would dive deep into the hearts listening. 

Prayer: Father your Word astounds me every day, your Spirit ministers to me with new revelations from your word. I thank you for all that you are doing in my life, the revelations into who I am and the growth you are calling me into. I thank you for my family and the things you are teaching me through them. I thank you for your provisions and blessings that you provide even when it is hard to see them. I ask that you continue to reveal those things I need to work on. Help me to find the resources that I need to work though those things. Open my heart to the place you have for me within your battle plans.