36 Verses to Healing #8: I Peter 2:24 (NKJV)
24 who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness— by whose stripes you were healed.
Same Verse different version: ERV
24 Christ carried our sins in his body on the cross. He did this so that we would stop living for sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you were healed.
I find myself saying "God works in mysterious ways" so often, because in life when things can not be explained by anything else more reasonable I know He had His hand in it......but tonight as I type these words I realize that His hand is always in it somehow, someway! We know He has a plan and its His will we ask be done when we know nothing we do can alter the outcome of whatever is unfolding......which brings us to our verse! Christ went to that cross, knowing His Father's will would be done, He did not want to suffer but willingly accepted His fate so that sin would forever be His to carry. I don't know how you feel about this but for me, any man that knowingly accepts his fate of pain and torture, so that others could live with what is right instead of with sin, surely is someone I can bank on, count on, trust, and have faith in to get it done!!! But how often do we forget this? How often do you forget the sacrifice that was made for you? Have you ever been so angry about your current situation that you lash out and refuse to 'hear' what He might be saying? What if He turned away from His Father? What if He ran away and hid? Where would we be today? He did what He did not knowing the plan and accepted his fathers will, just as we are told to do with Jesus and live for what is right!
Now, we are at the point in the verse where they mention His 'stripes', stripes that He received as a result of being beat, whipped and slashed so hard His body was marked, defaced and literally striped deep into the flesh!! I can not imagine how painful that must have been for Him, yet He took it! Can we learn anything from Jesus' suffering on that cross? Thinking about this I kind of feel selfish for wanting to not hurt anymore, because He sacrificed so much for me and suffered immense pain, who am I to ask Him to give relief? Yet, scripture says that His wounds allowed me to be 'healed'! This brings me back to 'let go let God', because if we truly come to Him to ask for 'Forgiveness' and give Him our sin aren't we then immediately healed? Does He mean our bodies hurt and suffer only if its filled with sin? No, I certainly do not think this is true for all, but I can see that I may have pain that is not at all explained but I still believe it must be part of the BIGGER plan. Someday, in His time, and for His will only I will understand my personal suffering.
Although the verse clearly states "by His wounds you were healed" it does not clearly define what is being healed other then the promise that our sin will be abolished.....did He suffer so we would never feel pain? I don't think so at all but it proves to us that through Him amazing things can happen and change your life forever.....did He know He would rise from the dead beforehand, not to my knowledge, which reinforces the mystery within His will.
In summary, we have the amazing sacrifice of God and of His Son that gave us the choice to live free of sin and be healed from the wounds of Christ on the cross. If we can recall the suffering that Christ endured each and every time we approach the altar, and give it all completely and honestly to Him, I do believe His wounds or stripes can and will heal us in any and all ways faithfully and His WILL be done!!!!
My Alien readers, tonight I offer you a challenge, during the coming weeks of lent since He sacrificed so much for us, can you offer more to Him in the form of a personal sacrifice? Listed below are some examples of how you might give more to His purpose and spread the word of God. Please feel free to comment and share with us how you will be sacrificing for the Lord during this Lenten Season.
- volunteer time at a local nursing home and read the Bible to someone who can't see anymore
- donate food, money, time at a homeless shelter, rehab and recovery center, veterans hospital, or your local emergency services centers (police, fire, EMT, etc...)
- offer to run a Bible study or support group in your church or for the community
- raise funds to donate to a charity that provides for God's children (foster care, refugee centers, orphanages, missions
- give up something you enjoy during Lent and spend that extra time or the money saved to pay it forward (shovel for an elderly or disabled neighbor, cook meals for someone ill, buy a stranger coffee or a meal, pay for someones gas and offer to pump it, babysit for free for a struggling church or school family and pay for dinner or a movie out, the options are endless please share yours).
- visit with someone fighting cancer, living in pain, housebound, and offer to bring lunch or a movie, (I know from personal experience what a surprise like flowers or my favorite treat can do to lift the spirits of those hurting and lonely).
- commit to reading and or writing about Jesus and your faith or share your gifts from above with others and offer your services freely that utilize them.
- reach out to family or friends that you have become estranged from and offer forgiveness or apologies for past mistakes
- step outside your comfort zone and challenge yourself to do what you are afraid of for the purpose of offering GOD's grace to others (maybe a prison, or a retarded adults home)
- adopt a pet from a shelter or volunteer time or money to rescue God's animals from shelters and mistreatment.......they need a forever home just like people do!
Dear Denise, I started my day feeling sorry for myself, feeling as if the whole world is against me but you have uplifted me, filled me with hope and filled me with a feeling that I need to try harder to love the person I am. To love those around me that need me more than I realise.
ReplyDeleteMy sweet Kim, you are so very harsh on yourself and put so much undo pressure.....the Lord only wants you to do the very best you can, He knows and understands the kind of pain we suffer each day but He also knows we are stronger then we think we are and sends us signs of encouragement. I did not give ou hope, it was inside you all along, He used me to say the very words that would get your attention and make you think. I had no clue I would type half of what I did but once I started it just all came to me, that's Him certainly not me! You do need to love you before you can love another fully to your greatest potential, I struggle here too :-(! I am harsh and negative about me all the time, but He created us and is proud of all His children so why can't we be? So happy you are reading along from across the pond, this journey may be long and hard but together I believe we will survive it with His help of course!! Love you and God Bless you today and always Kim :-) xoxoxo
Delete"Let Go, Let God"
ReplyDeletethis is such a strong statement.I fully understand this more than anyone knows. I was at a point in my life when nothing was going the direction I thought it would.Blakee had a free ride to college, but instead she wanted a yr off to figure out what she wanted to do. then she ended up in the Hospital, thats when I realized I wasent in charge anymore. I let God take care of the situation his way, and in return I learned there was more to what he wanted,more to what I was to do, somewhere else I was suppose to be.
for one I have returned to the church.
two-I have found my life partner
three-I have so many good friends and would help them out in any way I could.
as I sit here writing and wondering what I can do for lint. maybe I will let someone ahead of me in line at walmart, take the neighbors trash out to the curb on trashday.I dont know, there are so many things I can do.
From Bill:
ReplyDeleteThe Gospel of Luke shows that Christ went to the cross knowing of his torture, humiliation, death and resurrection- "Then He took the twelve aside and said to them, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished. For He will be delivered to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon. And they will scourge Him and put Him to death. And the third day He will rise again" (Luke 18:31-33 NKJ)"
This brings even a more human side out in his dying on the cross because even knowing death had no hold he still asked for the "cup" to be taken from him. We all have things we don't want to do or experience but we need to accept them like Christ accepted our sin. He accepted torture, humiliation, and crucifixion. From Wikipedia "Crucifixion was usually intended to provide a death that was particularly slow, painful (hence the term excruciating, literally "out of crucifying"), gruesome, humiliating, and public.". He accepted this for US so God would cleanse (heal) us of our sins.
During this Lenten season my sacrifice will be twofold, I'm going to help out our church Pastor and taken on more of the liturgy readings (at least 2 if not 3 per month), as well as set aside time each day in quiet prayer acknowledging Christ's blessings in our life.
Bill
I need to remember this more often. I do forget sometimes like you said when it comes to anger. God is amazing and he loves us. Our pain is only on this earth. One day we will walk with God pain free in heaven. How amazing is that to think about. :)
ReplyDeleteDenise just remarkable and I am so proud you are the vessel allowing God to give you the words to write so beautifully. Being said:
ReplyDeleteWhen I think Of Christ carrying the cross for us with the crown of thorns on his head and being yelled at, spit on and lashed horribly and yet he knew he was suppose to do this so we could be forgiven of our sins. God's only son sent here to die for us. How could we not remember how special we are were are created in his own imagine. I agree when he said by his stripes we are healed I think it does not mean always physically it can be mentally,spiritually and yes certainly physically. One thing that plays in mind to me as a human even Jesus cried out while he was in so much agony My God hath you Forsaken me! Physical pain is so hard and can make us angry and not act like we should at times no matter how much we believe. So we have to lightened up on ourselves and also when I pray now I always pray His will be done. Laying here thinking on this statement I know if it is God's will I will be healed if not maybe it is his will to use me in other ways. If so he will give me the ability to accept this and go on.Letting Go and Letting God is hard because as humans we try to be in control when in all reality we have never been in control God always has been and always will be.
So during the Lent one thing we are doing in our church is fasting and praying for others.
I will Continue to spread God's word through my writing on MDJ and my blog and diary there.
Make more crosses for my friend at church to give out to the nursing home.
Be here with you studying and worshiping Really soaking in God's word and discussing it.
Participating more in our bible study at church.
And someday I long to teach the children again. I don't know if that will happen but I pray someday it might.
Love ya!