Physical pain is something we all go through in some form or another in our lifetime. From burning our hand on the stove as a little kid, spraining our ankle or knee playing sports, or breaking a bone, it all hurts to varying degrees. Here recently my wife endured excruciating back pain. When she described it to me as worse than childbirth, I was taken back. How horrible for her and there was not much me and the kids could do to take the pain away.
I’ll let her explain it in her own words as posted to her Facebook page. “For the past several weeks I have experienced a level of pain that I didn’t know existed from a tear in my disc and nerve pain going down my leg. On the contrary, this picture makes me feel a depth of love that goes beyond description and to think that God willingly subjected his own son to excruciating pain for my sake…I simply cannot understand, I can only accept.” ~ Kristen Cottingham
Jesus suffered the most excruciating and painful death known to man. He was beaten, whipped with a lead tipped whip beyond recognition, had a crown of thorns pushed down onto his head, had his hands and feet nailed to a cross – which was a slow and painful execution meant to cause asphyxiation – until he died in our place. Jesus was without sin. We are full of sin and deserve the penalty for it. But He took our place. God sacrificed his one and only son, Jesus, for us. The cross, which once was once a symbol of death, is now a symbol of life – eternal life – as Jesus defeated death and was raised from the dead. And it is free to all who accept and believe.
John 3:16 – For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
1 Peter 3:18 – Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit.
Romans 6:23 – For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.
“Dear Lord, words alone cannot express the sheer awe, wonder, amazement and thanksgiving for the ultimate sacrifice you made for us. Allowing your son Jesus to endure the cross for us goes beyond human understanding. I humbly thank and praise you for loving us so much. It’s in the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.”