His Suffering.....

   Little is my need to voice my complaints. 

For I am reminded of Christ's suffering, his broken body, 

poured out for us. "For this is My blood of the covenant, 

which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sin." 

~Matthew 26:28

"Do this in remembrance of Me."

   I think it good to reflect upon and imagine His gruesome 

suffering, pain and humiliation on our behalf.

"He paid a debt I could not pay. I owed a debt I could not pay." 

Who am I, to say to God 

"Why are you doing this to me?!" or "This hurts too much!"

   A crown of thorns cut into His skull and bled out rivers of red. Jesus was scourged. He was whipped with strands of leather. Leather strips bound together with tips of metal. He was bound to a post. Only to have the flesh on His back get ripped to literal shreds. And the humiliation deepens. A wet face from human spit is revealed, stinging no doubt from the torn flesh on His face. Used as a human punching bag, to be hit countless times. His frame weakens from this. Alas, He is expected to carry His cross, weighing up to 200 lbs. He has scars on His wrists and ankles from pieces of metal more similar to pole barn spikes I'd say...used to bind Him on the cross for 3 hours. Even after all this, He refuses a drink purposed for numbing the pain sensors in His body. 

Bloody, bruised, hurting, crushed, humiliated, disgraced, and hated. I know not who hurts more: The Father or the Son. The Father knowing what is best, yet pained Him so deeply to see His Son suffer. 

   If that doesn't humble you and stop you in your complaining

 tracks, I know not what will.Your suffering and pain sure seems 

minor now. Its very unfathomable how after all that suffering He is 

yet able to extend mercy and understanding to us and our little hurts! 

"Christ was willing to be broken bread for the life of the world. 

He was poured out like wine. This means He accepted being

ground like wheat and crushed like the grape. Our small hurts,

so infinitely smaller then His, may yet be trustfully surrendered 

to His transforming work. The trial of faith is a thing worth more

than gold." ~Quest for Love, Elizabeth Elliot.

Written by: Emmy Tolbert

When: Communion Sunday. January 1st 2017