Absorbing God’s Word
“Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.” Mark 15:15
Applying God’s Word
We don’t really know how many lashes Jesus endured, prior to being crucified. It had to have been brutal.
Over the last few months, I’ve had three separate procedures done on my back to remove basal-cell carcinomas. The doctor numbed the area, extracted the growth, stitched me up and sent me home. Each time there was a follow-up visit to remove the stitches. There was some discomfort, but it didn’t last very long.
I couldn’t help but think about Jesus and the pain He suffered at the hands of the Roman soldiers. Back then, criminals were usually given 39 lashes and most did not live to talk about it. Jesus survived that beating and carried His own cross to His crucifixion.
All of us have seasons that are brutal and yet Jesus shows up to carry the heavy end of our cross. I’m crying right now, which makes it difficult to type this “Challenge”.
Accounting of God’s Word
Have I allowed Jesus to tend to my wounds? Have I thanked Him?