This morning I was drawn to ponder the
wonder of how Jesus faced the same hurts and heartaches as me (except to the
extreme), and yet he knew every one of them in advance. It was especially
comforting to put all my painful experiences into this context, and consider
how much the Lord Jesus Christ is able, and willing, and working to do to heal
my broken heart and bind up my wounds.[2]
Jesus let me feel the shock of being
betrayed by people I was helping in ministry, so I could feel the wonder that
he spent three years walking with a man that he knew would betray him to death.[3]
Jesus let me feel the pain of being
denied by people I love so I could feel the wonder that he knew in advance that
someone he loved would deny him three times at the point of his greatest trouble.[4]
Jesus let me feel the heartache of
being hated and rejected by people I thought would walk with me, so I could
feel the wonder that Jesus knew that the divine plan for him to enter the world
and seek and save the lost would require him to be despised and rejected of
men, all the way to the agonies of crucifixion.[5]
Jesus let me feel the anguish of feeling
hurt for what others are going through, so I could feel the wonder that he set
out to create a man from the dust of the earth knowing full well he would have
to become a man so that he could be the one man to bear the sins of many.
Before he began his work of creation, Jesus knew what he would suffer for
hurting, broken people in order to have people he created, and recreated, to be
his brothers.[6]
What Jesus knew he would have with his
beloved brothers was so great that he would create a world that would hate him,
would call a man who would betray him, would open his heart to a man who would
deny him, and would endure the harsh mistreatment from his creation, in order
to make people into new creations[7]
who could live in his new heavens and new earth forever.[8]
Realizing that Jesus knew all his
sufferings in advance comforts me in the painful experiences that have surprised
me. It also leads me closer to his will in rejoicing in the fiery trials I
experience.[9]
After all, a long time ago, he did tell me that such troubles would come to all
who are growing to be like him.[10] So,
why am I surprised when they come to me in the same way they came to him?[11]
Today is a good day to trade my
surprise, for the greater experience of wonder.
From my heart,
Monte
© 2013 Monte Vigh ~ Box 517,
Merritt, BC, V1K 1B8 ~ in2freedom@gmail.com
Unless otherwise noted,
Scriptures are from the English Standard Version (The Holy Bible, English
Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good
News Publishers.)
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