“…let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us, and run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that lay before Him endured a cross and despised the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of God’s throne.” (Hebrews 12:1-2)
Each year when one of my sons celebrates a birthday, we reminisce about their “birth” days. Recently, my oldest son decided to inquire specifically about the labor and delivery process of his birth. Both of my sons were born via scheduled C-section surgeries because my first son refused to turn and change directions. This action in turn affected the son who would be born two years later warranting another scheduled C-section because of the risk of a natural delivery process. Why? Because now my abdomen had a major scar from the incision made to bring forth my first born son. With his breached position, a natural delivery was not feasible and could have caused fatal results for the both of us. This created a problem, for I could not deliver this child on my own. I needed help…from someone who was more qualified than me, who knew how to deliver this child, and was capable of accomplishing the work it would take to save us both. A physician who understood the seriousness of the need, valued the precious life involved, and recognized the joy that would come from the resulting scar. I did not mind the pain that would come from surgery nor the scar that would be left to remind me of what had occurred. Why? Because of the joy that was afforded me because of the gift given to me from God in the form of a baby son. Yet, it was not what I did to deliver my son, but what was done for us on our behalf.
As my oldest son asked his inquiring questions, he began to ponder the fact that I did not actually suffer and endure long labor with painful contractions. Yet the results were the same as one who had endured a long labor, a baby was born. Even though he knew my scar existed due to him not turning and changing directions in the womb, it was as if somehow he felt slighted because I did not have to bear the weight of painful labor and delivery for him to be born. It was as if my experience of delivery was less because I was spared of extreme anguish. I found my thoughts shifting to Jesus Christ and pondering His permanent scars on His hands, His feet, and His side on my behalf so that I could have new life in Christ. We celebrate His birth, but His birth did not save those who trust Him for salvation. Rather it was His death on a cruel cross with hours of extreme pain and suffering at the hands of sinners. All for those He loves, who would repent of their sin, believe in Jesus and the work He has accomplished, and follow Him.
Jesus was the only qualified Physician, a perfect sacrifice, who could deliver us from death, and provide a new life in Him by His grace and forgiveness, granting eternal life by His resurrection. Jesus understood the seriousness of our need, valued us as precious lives, and recognized the joy that would come from His resulting scars of the work of salvation. Sin has affected every generation because of our not turning and changing directions in order to live for the glory of our Creator; yet God provided a way for those who repent and place their faith in Christ to be reborn. He has given us the privilege of joyfully telling this story of Jesus over and over of the good news of the Gospel to those in need of a Savior. However, the Gospel also continues to be for those who have been saved to remind us of what Christ accomplished on our behalf, so we won’t begin treating our salvation in Christ through His death as less than the powerful work that it is, because we were spared the penalty and wrath our sin deserves. Jesus became sin for us, bore that pain with lasting scars to prove it, so that those He saves might become the righteousness of God in Christ. (2 Cor. 5:21) It is not what we can do for ourselves, but what Christ has done for us. Keep celebrating your life in Christ! Thank you, Jesus, for delivering us!
“He was despised and rejected by men, a man of suffering who knew what sickness was. He was like one people turned away from; He was despised, and we didn’t value Him. Yet He Himself bore our sicknesses, and He carried our pains; but we in turn regarded Him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. But He was pierced because of our transgressions, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on Him, and we are healed by His wounds. We all went astray like sheep; we all have turned to our own way; and the LORD has punished Him for the iniquity of us all…Yet the LORD was pleased to crush Him, and He made Him sick. When You make Him a restitution offering, He will see His seed, He will prolong His days, and the will of the LORD will succeed by His hand. He will see it out of His anguish, and He will be satisfied with His knowledge. My righteous servant will justify many, and He will carry their iniquities…because He submitted Himself to death, and was counted among rebels; yet He bore the sin of many and interceded for the rebels.” (Isaiah 53)
Tamar Miller
Each year when one of my sons celebrates a birthday, we reminisce about their “birth” days. Recently, my oldest son decided to inquire specifically about the labor and delivery process of his birth. Both of my sons were born via scheduled C-section surgeries because my first son refused to turn and change directions. This action in turn affected the son who would be born two years later warranting another scheduled C-section because of the risk of a natural delivery process. Why? Because now my abdomen had a major scar from the incision made to bring forth my first born son. With his breached position, a natural delivery was not feasible and could have caused fatal results for the both of us. This created a problem, for I could not deliver this child on my own. I needed help…from someone who was more qualified than me, who knew how to deliver this child, and was capable of accomplishing the work it would take to save us both. A physician who understood the seriousness of the need, valued the precious life involved, and recognized the joy that would come from the resulting scar. I did not mind the pain that would come from surgery nor the scar that would be left to remind me of what had occurred. Why? Because of the joy that was afforded me because of the gift given to me from God in the form of a baby son. Yet, it was not what I did to deliver my son, but what was done for us on our behalf.
As my oldest son asked his inquiring questions, he began to ponder the fact that I did not actually suffer and endure long labor with painful contractions. Yet the results were the same as one who had endured a long labor, a baby was born. Even though he knew my scar existed due to him not turning and changing directions in the womb, it was as if somehow he felt slighted because I did not have to bear the weight of painful labor and delivery for him to be born. It was as if my experience of delivery was less because I was spared of extreme anguish. I found my thoughts shifting to Jesus Christ and pondering His permanent scars on His hands, His feet, and His side on my behalf so that I could have new life in Christ. We celebrate His birth, but His birth did not save those who trust Him for salvation. Rather it was His death on a cruel cross with hours of extreme pain and suffering at the hands of sinners. All for those He loves, who would repent of their sin, believe in Jesus and the work He has accomplished, and follow Him.
Jesus was the only qualified Physician, a perfect sacrifice, who could deliver us from death, and provide a new life in Him by His grace and forgiveness, granting eternal life by His resurrection. Jesus understood the seriousness of our need, valued us as precious lives, and recognized the joy that would come from His resulting scars of the work of salvation. Sin has affected every generation because of our not turning and changing directions in order to live for the glory of our Creator; yet God provided a way for those who repent and place their faith in Christ to be reborn. He has given us the privilege of joyfully telling this story of Jesus over and over of the good news of the Gospel to those in need of a Savior. However, the Gospel also continues to be for those who have been saved to remind us of what Christ accomplished on our behalf, so we won’t begin treating our salvation in Christ through His death as less than the powerful work that it is, because we were spared the penalty and wrath our sin deserves. Jesus became sin for us, bore that pain with lasting scars to prove it, so that those He saves might become the righteousness of God in Christ. (2 Cor. 5:21) It is not what we can do for ourselves, but what Christ has done for us. Keep celebrating your life in Christ! Thank you, Jesus, for delivering us!
“He was despised and rejected by men, a man of suffering who knew what sickness was. He was like one people turned away from; He was despised, and we didn’t value Him. Yet He Himself bore our sicknesses, and He carried our pains; but we in turn regarded Him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. But He was pierced because of our transgressions, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on Him, and we are healed by His wounds. We all went astray like sheep; we all have turned to our own way; and the LORD has punished Him for the iniquity of us all…Yet the LORD was pleased to crush Him, and He made Him sick. When You make Him a restitution offering, He will see His seed, He will prolong His days, and the will of the LORD will succeed by His hand. He will see it out of His anguish, and He will be satisfied with His knowledge. My righteous servant will justify many, and He will carry their iniquities…because He submitted Himself to death, and was counted among rebels; yet He bore the sin of many and interceded for the rebels.” (Isaiah 53)
Tamar Miller
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