When I was about 4, I remember one day my knee hurting. I hugged it close to me and said to my mom, “Me huele” (h is slient; short e sounds). My mom, who was sweeping/mopping, stopped, smelled it, and said, “I don’t smell anything.” I looked at her and then repeated my statement. She then said, “O, te duele.” “Huele” means smells, while “duele” means hurts. It was hurting and in need of TLC.
We’re a people hurting in different ways and hurting all over. Pain is not a friend. Even when it’s emotional or mental, it hurts. What if we could be done with pain? What if we could rid it forever? Imagine no one ever hurting us again. Imagine us not saying the wrong words again. Imagine not hurting others in any particular way, ever.
While Israel awaited a savior to physically deliver them from their enemies, God had other plans. Let’s see it this way: Suppose you finally rid your house of pests-rodents, ants, etc. You’d rejoice! When you’d think of your mortgage…you’d know you’re really not free. God wanted to bring freedom to Israel and to the world not only from its enemies, but from one hidden enemy invisible to the naked eye: sin.
God’s plan has always been to get ‘His baby back,” if you will.
The one thing that’s always hanging over us is a sinful nature. No one can escape it. It’s at work in our lives nonstop. Sin separated us from God in the garden. It hurt Him dearly.
Once a year, Israelites offered to God a sacrifice for the sins of the people-a spotless (perfect) lamb. That’s why Jesus, being God, came to earth by way of the Holy Spirit overshadowing Mary so as not to contaminate the seed. He came without sin. He lived without sin. His cousin John, at seeing Him said, “Behold, the Lamb of God which takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).
Being the perfect sacrifice, Jesus died in our place and freed us once and for all from the grip of sin. It was a horrendous death. If He moved, His nailed feet wouldn’t allow it. When He tried to shift His weight, He couldn’t. Tried to stretch His arms, they were nailed in place. He couldn’t stop the flow of the blood running down His face from the thorny crown. Yet, through it all, it is believed He whispered your name and mine. Definitely, You were on His mind. It was His love for you that kept Him up there. You see, He could have chosen a different way to die, but didn’t. He could have chosen any time in history, yet chose the one He did. He chose to hurt over us to remind us that true love hurts and that true love is based on sacrifice. His sin offering is free for the asking. No, He won’t die again, and no, it isn’t automatic. You need to repent of your ways and like a prize, claim it.
How much time do you have? “For God…is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2Peter 3:9b). Time is running out. Today is the day of salvation. What a great testimony to say, “I gave my heart to Jesus on Good Friday.”
There will be no pain or suffering in heaven!
God Bless,
Sam