January 3, 2010

why will you be struck down, when Jesus has been struck down for you?

I haven't gone running, in well, um, a long time. I readied my Ipod to a podcast, since, as my prof calls it, I was a bedside Baptist today. Clearly, the Lord wanted to remind of something in a new way.

" 'God says, I forgive eagerly and extravagantly and exhaustively.' ... This brokenness, this sickness, this woundedness is the reason Jesus comes, as he comes to take our place! He's broken, so that the broken man can be healed. And he has to do it, we can't heal ourselves. We can't provide the salvation we so desperately need. God alone can and God alone has. And when we recognize that Jesus has come and he was smitten and stricken of God and afflicted... Why will you be struck down when Jesus has been struck down for you? Why will you continue to be sick when Jesus took on your sickness? When he was bruised, when he was sore and had raw wounds... he has taken on your suffering, your brokenness, and even, your sin. And somehow, it pleased the Father to bruise the Son, because it would bring our healing- and take a broken, destitute man, and bring him to life again, in wholeness, and health. That's what Jesus brings. By his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, Christ became the beaten man in the desolate land, for us. He took on our suffering and our anguish and our sin, so that we could be healed.... Realize that your heart is prone to wander and that faithfulness today doesn't guarentee faithfulness tomorrow..."


Lately, I've simply given into the lie that sins are worth ignoring. As I squinted into the afternoon sun and jogged on, God reminded me of the weight of my sin, and how it leads only to a pitiful place of self-righteousness and ugliness. However, it does not end there, his redemption is so much greater. No, I can't heal myself. I can't provide the salvation that you, and I, so desperately need. But he's provided the rescue for us by his sacrifice. As listened, I heard the man's voice catch in his throat, I heard the passion for which he reminded his listeners of the reality of our depravity and radical redemption. Lord, Might you allow me a similar passion to share about the depth of sin. Might I not brush off "small" sins, but might instead be driven to repentance, followed by praising you for the rescue you have provided.

Listen here. (please.)

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