From Pastor John Collins:
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“Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” Isaiah 53:4-6 (NKJV).
This world is not innocent. So, why do so many take things
so personally and get so offended by the grief that comes with life? Why do so
many place the blame squarely upon the shoulders of God? What is wrong with
sorrow and grief? It teaches you to appreciate the joy and hope. What is wrong
with sickness and death? It teaches you that there are seasons to life and
health is not a guarantee. What is wrong with loss? It teaches you to
appreciate what you have. There is beauty and wonder that we have feelings at
all. Life is precious and filled with the ability to emotionally connect with
others and death is filled with hope because Jesus has made it possible for you
to continue loving those that you love.
People want to feel wounded and offended that they have
suffered in this life and they want someone to blame and want to complain about
it all, to be the victim. There are victims in this life and there are terrible
things that happen but that is part of living among others who have the same
opportunity as you have and that is free will. There are bad people in this
world and there is evil in this world and that is something that we all have to
deal with for now. It doesn’t mean that anyone has the right to blame God or to
sit on the pity pot because as long as there is breath in your body, there is
hope for salvation and you will not be gaining salvation while there is
resentment for God and bitterness toward Him because you find your sufferings
too big to accept.
Jesus did not grow old. Jesus did not get gray hair and lose
His eyesight. Jesus did not raise a family and rock His child to sleep. Jesus
did not take vacations and travel around the world to see different places.
Jesus did not have the luxury of a long life. Jesus came to this world and from
His earliest age was doing the work of His Father. Jesus concerned Himself with
His people, His land and the salvation of this world. Jesus taught others and
took the time to heal others and be kind. Jesus is perfect and yet He suffered
for you. Jesus was ridiculed and mocked, beaten and hung on a cross to die. For
you.
This is not a fairy tale that you have outgrown. This
happened. Jesus is not just some man that lived long ago. Jesus is the Son of
God and your Savior. Think about just how much you do have to be thankful for
this week. As you make your plans to gather together for a meal and rejoicing,
think about the times that Jesus gathered with His people for a meal. Jesus
always was thinking of others, the salvation of souls. In the end that is what
counts because the soul is eternal and we should all be thinking in that
manner, maybe then awareness of the enormity of the gift that Christ has made
possible for us all would truly sink in and gratefulness, the kind that
produces life, would follow.
“And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, ‘Take, eat; this is My body.’ Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until the day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.’” Matthew 26:26-29 (NKJV).
LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN
Read more about JOHN COLLINS MINISTRIES or reach me, Pastor John, personally through John Collins Ministries at www.johncollinsministries.com.
*photo from The Passion of the Christ, 2004, Icon Productions
