Your Dying Spouse 735 - All He Ever Wanted {Five Minute Friday}

One of the most specious criticisms of Jesus Christ is the argument that His death and resurrection were really not that 'hard' for Him, as He is divine. Kind of like Tom Brady taking the field in a Pop Warner football game.

It seems reasonable on its face, that divine strength and omniscience would shield Him from the effects of trial that we would feel, and that his 'example' is really a bit of fluff, almost a game.

And that is so wrong.

For one thing, consider the pain of the Crucifixion. Pain has a certain quality, in that it can make time seem to almost stand still...as in, ever had a root canal, or had to recover from hemorrhoid surgery?

Crucifixion is way worse than that, and for God/man, even more horrible, for He had to feel...perfectly...what we feel.

Our bodies are imperfect; when the pain sensors are overloaded, they blank out, and we pass out. Not so for the Christ.

The experience of pain, perfected.

Second, that taking on of sin...all sin. You, dear reader, have some experience of this.

No, don't look shocked. When your heart sinks, reading about some barbaric cruelty, you are having the first glimmerings of an emphatic reaction, 'feeling for' the victim, as if it has, in a misty distant tiny way, happened to you, too.

Now, imagine taking on the full dose of the worst suffering you ever heard about, and experienced the hellish glee of the perpetrator, in all its profane vile horror.

That's what Jesus took on, for every bit of suffering, for every single act of cruelty that ever took place, and, again, you have pain perfected.

And, why? Why would God become man, and become an offering of torture?

Why, for you.

And what does He want in return?

That you accept Him.

He doesn't want your wealth or your devotion in the form of temples and cathedrals.

He doesn't want you to live on your knees, wailing hosannas. That would bore Him silly.

No, like the nerdy kid in high school, the one with the button-down shirt and the glasses, the one who hung around the edges of your clique...

...the one who was willing to help you with math and science, so you could end up a Microsoft VP rather than a Starbucks barista...

...He just wants to be part of your life.

Beneath the cold blue desert sky,

the vault beyond which lie the stars

I feel at peace, joined to the One

who carries on His Hands the scars

that bind me to His Love’s intent

that shows me just how much I mean,

that when they came for Him, He went

and grace descended from the dream

to take its place upon that hill,

to bleed upon the rough-barked cross,

to exercise the dauntless will

that not a single one be lost

and His sole beseech and plea

is, “My child, abide with Me!”

As for me, my voice is ever further gone, pain and incipient despair are worse, and yeah, cancer sucks.

"Deal with it."

But I'm not dealing with it alone.

Music from For King And Country, with Shoulders.

Thanks to Carol Ashby, Blessed Are The Pure Of Heart is back on Kindle, and will be available in paperback soon.

Friends are everything. I couldn't have done it.

Marley, the canine waif from Afghanistan, whom WE helped save, has a Facebook page! Please drop by to see how happy he is today.

Below are my recent releases on Kindle -please excuse their presence in the body of the blog. I haven't the energy to get them up as 'buttons' in the sidebar. You can click on the covers to go to the Amazon links.