The Pain Before the Promise (Part 2)

What does it take for you to come back to your senses? You saunter around unabashed and unashamed. The stench of arrogance stirs about in your mouth, and the stink of it is abhorrent. You speak curses upon those who offer a helping hand. Instead of extending a token of appreciation, you extend a sword to puncture the heart. You are gluttonous in your attitude and monogamous only to yourself. Sin is your lover, and God is nowhere on the scene.

But…

“I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” (Luke 5:32, NKJV)

God has seen you. He has known your thoughts and meditated on them, even as you incubated in the womb of your mother: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you.” (Jeremiah 1:5, NJKV) God ponders what He must do to bring you into right standing in accordance to His statutes. He looks to His immediate right, and sees His only begotten Son, basking in the glory of all that His Father has provided. There is a bond between a father and his son that is not easily broken. He looks at his glorious Son to His right and looks down upon you, as you meander through the quagmire of your life.

And…

“And she (Mary) will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21, NKJV)

God loves YOU so entirely, so completely and so selfishly, He gave up His ALL so that your ALL can come to fruition.

Now comes the SCOURGING and the crown of thorns laid upon His head…

Now comes the shedding of His blood…

For you.

Now comes the masses of His own kin calling for His crucifixion, and He accepts it…

Now comes the carrying of the cross to the dirt of Golgotha…

For you.

Now comes the nailing of His hands…

Now comes the nailing of His feet…

For you.

He is crushed. He is assaulted. He is beaten. The brutality and inhumane punishment that He is taking is beyond all human comprehension.

But then…

“It is finished!” (John 19:30, NJKV)

Jesus endured the nail into His hands so that your hands could be extended in love untainted. Jesus endured the nail in His feet so that your walk would be uninhibited and righteous. Jesus emptied His tomb so that your life would be full. Jesus shed His precious, sinless blood so that your sin would be forgiven and forgotten. Most importantly, Jesus died so that you may live.

Jesus IS the promise.