Monday, March 14, 2011

WDJS

What did Jesus see?


After nearly being whipped to death, after the lose of blood and the agony of physical pain, after having the crown of thorns pressed upon his head, after being forced to carry a heavy beam through the streets, following the ridicule and rejection; Jesus was thrown down onto the ground, across the same beam.

Even though He knew what to expect, still the adrenaline was pumping through his veins. The Roman soldiers were pulling on his arms and preparing to pound steel spikes through his wrists. Others were pulling on his garment and striping him bare. Some in the crowd were still yelling at Him, cursing and laughing. Others, including his mother, were crying.

The prior night’s prayer was over and the thoughts had progressed past whether or not there might be another way to accomplish the Father’s will. Resolve had not only set in, it was steadfast!

Lying there on his bloody back, which had the skin ripped open and splinters poking the raw wounds; Jesus, through eyes crusted with dry blood and salty sweat, looked upward. Immediately in front of him were the images of Roman faces, some with whiskers, all showing an indifference to His situation. To them, He was just another guilty Jew that they had to deal with before they got off duty.

Beyond their empty eyes were the helmets of dull metal and leather straps. He glimpsed the hammer being passed from one soldier to another holding down his right hand. At the exact time of hearing the metal-on-metal contact, a pain shot through his whole body and a cry rang out from his dry mouth.

After several seconds of wincing, His eyes opened again, this time to see beyond the bounds of Earth. The soldiers and crowds were a blur to His sight. The sounds were fading into the background of His conscience. Now, He was looking into the Heavens where His Father waited for Him and the angels were ministering to Him. The God-man repeated the thought, “Thy will be done!”