Jesus did not take painkillers

A few weeks back I had a sudden onset of severe abdominal pain. It struck me in the early hours of the morning, and was so excruciating that my whole body was doubled over, I threw up and passed out. I frantically tried to get pain killers into my mouth to take away whatever was attacking my body. I felt weak and unwell and needed to get to a doctor. I finally got to the doctors surgery later that morning and was checked over. Fortunately I didn't have anything majorly serious, just a severe virus that was causing the pain. My doctor gave me some strong medication and after taking the maximum dose, I began to feel an ease. In fact, I was feeling quite chilled out and relaxed! The medication did a great job at keeping the pain at bay.

A couple of days later when the virus had passed and the prescribed drugs were no longer needed, I was reflecting on the pain I had experienced. I was so grateful for a national health service in our country, where you can receive high quality medical care 24/7, and receive medicines to treat the problem. I was so grateful for the medication and would have spent my time rolling around on the floor, throwing up and passing out, if I had to continue to endure that acute pain.

None of us like pain, physical or emotional. I got to thinking about Jesus on the cross. We know that He was brutally tortured, whipped, beaten, and crucified. He endured so much suffering, for you and for me. He did not have painkillers! But what He did have was the authority to kill all pain, for all time, through His pain on the cross. He shed His blood for you and me. He took the punishment for humanities sin, all the rubbish stuff that had separated us from God the Father.

'For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross...' When He hung on the cross, beaten and tortured, He had YOU on His mind. He broke the power of sin for you. He defeated the power of death, for you. He was accused, abused, rejected and scorned, for you.

Life is full if heartache and pain. We only have to walk down the street to see so much injustice. But Jesus died so we could be free and walk in victory. He opened the door for us. Once we allow Him to be Lord of our life,  we are no longer slaves to sin or bondage. 

Don't settle for brokenness. Jesus came to HEAL the broken, & make us WHOLE, to release us from everything that weighs us down.

I don't know about you but I'm so glad I can walk through life, in victory, even if things come against me. I'm not saying that bad things won't ever happen and that people won't hurt us. Jesus never promised life would be easy. What He did promise is that He would ALWAYS BE WITH US! Which means we can walk through trials with our heads held high. Knowing that God is FOR us [even when others arent], that He will vindicate us, make our wrongs right, and carry us through tragedy with a smile :-)

Thank you, Jesus for nailing my sin, shame, sickness, brokenness, hurt and pain to the cross. Thank you for making a way for me to have access to God the Father. Thank you for the victory you extend to me. Thank you for your love and grace, thank you for the complete and finished work of the cross.

I'm choosing to walk in victory, how about you? :-)