Monday, February 23, 2009

Crushed for the Greater Good (Number 25 in a series)

“Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” Isaiah 53:4-5 (KJV)

Mama has several medications to take each day. Because of her swallowing problem, she has to take them through her PEG tube. Pills must be dissolved in water so they can flow through the syringe into the length of tubing we connect to the PEG.

We use a mortar and pestle to crush the pills into a powder to more easily dissolve them. The pills are of no use to my mother until they are pulverized. She cannot benefit from the medication in any other way.

Each time I prepare her medications, I am reminded of Isaiah’s description of the coming Messiah. Just as I crush the pills to help my mother, Jesus was bruised (some translations use the word “crushed”) to help us. Our healing came at a terrible cost.

This week, many of us will observe Ash Wednesday – the beginning of Lent. As we turn our hearts toward Jesus’ final days in human form let us remember the price He paid to save us. Crushed. Bruised. Beaten.

Father, we thank You for the gift of Your Son. Thank You that He was willing to suffer on our behalf and pay the ransom for us. Keep us in mind of Your never-failing love.

1 comment:

Beryl Singleton Bissell said...

how beautifully you have brought scripture into your daily life, just as it was written to be understood.