How Deep is His Love | Previous Challenge Entry

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TITLE: How Deep is His Love | Previous Challenge Entry
By Art Fahy
07/21/21
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Years ago I was employed as a public speaker for a national safety organization Citizens Against Crime. We presented safety awareness programs to various business in our area. We delivered a forty-five minute program covering how to stay safe in and out of the home. It was a satisfying opportunity.
Public speaking, according to the Mayo Clinic, is a common form of anxiety. I can attest to this statement as being true for me. My first program I thought my heart was going to come through my chest. I learned to stay in my car, take a few deep breathes, and ask God to go into the room before me. It wasn’t many classes later I was calm and looking forward to giving the class. The anxiety disappeared.
I believe no one endured anxiety like Jesus did his last hours on this earth. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Luke writes, “And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.” (Luke 22:42 NIV) This reaction of the body is called hematidrosis. The cause is acute distress or fear, such as facing death or torture. Jesus experienced both.
Before Jesus was crucified, he was handed over to be flogged. The Roman whip was made of a leather strap with stones or lead tied to it. The strap whipped through the air making a crackling sound and striking Jesus’ body tearing his flesh open and shattering bones. The striking of the whip against Jesus’ body is that representative of one of my sins. Maybe a sin of anger harsh words buried in the crevice of my heart flying out of my mouth and hurting someone.
The soldiers mocked Jesus. Don’t we act in a similar way when we talk about other in a derogatory way? Do our words uplift or degrade? We should ask ourselves. Are these words true? What does degrading someone do to our soul? Are these words pleasing to God’s ears?
The crown of thorns pressed into the head Jesus draws blood. Blood streaming down into his ears, his eyes, and across his lips. Are these thorns representative of sins such as pride or envy. We achieve some form of success and boast excessively. Our neighbor buys a new car and we are so envious all we desire is to have a car like it. We are obsessed with having a car just like it. It is foremost in our mind. Our priorities are turned upside down.
The slap across the face could represent lust. Instead of looking away, we stared a little to long. That look could turn into ungodly thoughts and if we continue to entertain the thought it can turn into adultery.
Jesus was struck on the head with a reed stick and spit on. Could this be times of our insecurity? Where is my trust in God. Times we dwell on self-pity? We have an attitude of why me? What about the times we are not content with what we have? We feel we deserve more. We feel deprived.
Jesus carried his cross on bloody and battered shoulders. When he reached Golgotha I am sure the Roman soldiers took no pity on Jesus dropping him on the cross. The pounding of the hammer against the head of a blunt nail. The nail finding its way into flesh, blood spurting, bones breaking and screams of agony. Jesus last hours were gruesome. He was tortured, crucified, and buried. Jesus died a horrible death. As promised he rose three days later. He conquered death.
The Lord detests sin and we should turn from it and run. It took me awhile to understand the magnitude of damage sin can do. Jesus looks at our heart, that is why we must guard it with diligence. I pray Psalm 139:23,24 (NIV). “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way of everlasting.” When those sins deep in my heart are revealed to me, I ask for forgiveness. The Lord hears my prayer and he forgives. The blood of Jesus has made me clean.

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