376. A Tiny Peek Into The Pain Of Christ

“Earlier this morning,” Stan began, “I was focusing on Christ’s crucifixion in my journaling. The Holy Spirit brought to mind something that happened to me shortly after I became a Christian.  It was something that had a huge impact on me, as well as on someone else.”

“Sounds like a bit of a mystery, Stan,” I replied.  “Tell me what happened.”

“One day I was working in the backyard building a sidewalk out of used bricks.  I had bought a bunch of old bricks. Some of them had quite a bit of mortar stuck to them that needed to be chipped off so the bricks would fit together.”

“And something happened?” I asked.

“Big time!” Stan replied.  “I was using a hammer to chip off the old mortar, hitting it with the claw end of the hammer.  With one really hard swing I missed the mortar and hit my thumb. Almost instantly the thumbnail began to turn black.”

“Wow,” I said, “I bet you had some choice words for that!” I exclaimed.

“That’s one of the really interesting parts,” Stan replied.  “The absolutely first thought that came to my mind was not cursing or swearing. No, the first thought was about the pain Christ endured on the cross.”

“Seriously?” I asked.

“Yes,” Stan responded.  “Hard for me to imagine also, but that is what the Holy Spirit had for me to see.  And even more amazing is what happened a few days later.”

“What?” I asked.

“I was telling a friend about my experience after he had seen my bandaged thumb.  He was not a Christian, but what the Holy Spirit had for me to relate to him about the pain and how it related to the cross of Christ led him eventually to accept the salvation offered by Christ’s finished work on the cross.”

“True story?” I asked.

“Yes, my friend,” Stan relied.  “By God giving me a tiny peek into the pain that Christ endured for me, I was able to relate that to another with eternal consequences for him.”

“I never know where the Holy Spirit is leading,” Stan concluded.  “My role is simply to follow His lead regardless of the cost or the direction.”

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When Jesus therefore had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!”  And He bowed His head, and gave up His spirit.  John 19:30.

And He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. 1 Peter 2:24.

Prayer:  Thank you, Lord, for the finished work of Christ Jesus on the cross, the finished work that has allowed me to look forward to spending eternity with you when my time here is done.  And thank you that His finished work allows me to pursue knowledge of you, the Father, and Jesus, the Son, on this side of eternity.  Thank you for showing me how much it cost for my salvation.  Help me to never take if lightly, but to be open always to whatever you want to show me.  Thank you that you do want to show me, and that you want me to share that with those you bring before me.  Open me to see all and whatever you have for me.  Thank you I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus.  Amen.