Power To Understand The Path Of TravailSpeaker: Dr. Paul Dhinakaran Gist: Are you languishing with the thought that there is no hope for you? You have a hope. Our victorious Lord who crossed the path is all-powerful. He heals the shattered hearts. He cures all our wounds. That is why Jesus walked in the way of His children who were poor. He said in Luke 9:58, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head." Apart from this He went through the path of anger and ire of men and betrayers (John 6:64, 70; 13:30). Jesus was watching the face of His disciple, Judas, who was to be His betrayer, everyday. Whenever he was talking to Him, He would have been pained by the thought, "He would betray Me, one day. A day would come when they would spit on My face, fix a twisted crown of thorns on My head, pierce My hand and feet with nails, tear My whole body and put Me to scorn in the presence of all the people. I would be shivering in My agony; they would merely laugh in glee and crucify Me." The scorn and ire of the wicked men broke Jesus' heart every day. "Who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him (His Father)" (Hebrews 5:7), the fear of death tortured Him.
A diary of a young girl who was anticipating death in a few days was discovered; doctors had said that she would be alive only for a month. So she was recording in her diary, "There are only 29 days, 28 days, 27 days... 20 days' - a count down for her day of death. On the last day, she had concluded, "I would not be able to see the flitting birds any more, I would not be able to see the panoramic beautiful skies, I cannot breathe the sweet odorous air any more, I am going to die."
Jesus would have felt the same way. As days rapidly decreased before His crucifixion, He would have pined over the tribulations of the darkness of death, of the state of being forsaken by one and all; His heart would have been broken. He told His disciples, "Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me" (John 16:32). After Jesus was crucified, for a moment, even His Father, who was His sole comfort, forsook Him. Separated, at that moment, from the Father, Jesus cried in agony, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" (Matthew 27:46).
A farmer toiling in his field everyday used to travel on a bullock cart to his home; he had to cross a small village on the way. His bullocks were very familiar with the route; so without guidance, they were able to reach home. As usual, on the way, the farmer fell into a profound sleep, when the bullocks were faithfully doing their job. But one day, while crossing the tiny hamlet (Village) a small child ran across the path and the bullocks trod over the child and the wheels of the cart also ran over the child, causing a tragic accident. The villagers came running to the spot, on hearing the loud shriek of the child, saw what had happened, pulled out the farmer and began to thrash him mercilessly, without giving immediate attention to the child. At that time, the man appealed to the angry crowd with tears, "Beat me up thoroughly; but before that attend to the child immediately, and save her; let her live; please take her to a hospital immediately."
Jesus Surrendering His own physical body, tear it to pieces; through that let My children have their wounds be healed.
"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."(Isaiah 53:5)
"He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses" (Matthew 8:17).
"Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the Law" (Galatians 3:13). That is how, Jesus even today, is powerful enough to comfort the broken hearts and heal our wounds.
My dear friend, are you traversing the path of tears? Are you languishing with the thought that there is no hope for you? You definitely can have a hope. Our victorious Lord who crossed the path is all powerful. He heals the shattered hearts. He cures all our wounds. He calls us with enduring love: "Come to Me all you labour and are heavy-laden(laden with disease, with sin, with the outcome of wrongs knowingly done, with the burden of debts, burden of the multifarious problems of life the burden of curses and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28).
Today, will you surrender your life at His hands? The mighty Lord can see your heart will heal all your wounds, console your broken heart. He will certainly demonstrate His power in your life.
Prayer:
Most loving Heavenly Father,
Give me the grace to follow Your example in the midst of my betrayal. Show me that nothing, not even betrayal by a friend, can move my soul from its security in You. May I rejoice in that, and it the power of Your great love. Lord Jesus, I thank You for looking at my heart and healing all my wounds. Help me also see that to turn my thoughts heavenwards when downcast and depressed may be difficult but not impossible. Show me even more clearly how to have my deep inner thirst met by You. In Jesus mighty name, I pray.
Amen. |