The Father’s Heart
“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father
has been pleased to give you the kingdom.”
has been pleased to give you the kingdom.”
Sitting in the hospital for long hours watching someone you love suffer can be very difficult. That was my experience this week as my mom battled some health issues at Rochester General Hospital. Lots of reading was done in the times when she was sleeping, lots of coffee was consumed to stay awake, and much prayer was offered up for the Lord to be merciful. In the midst of waiting and watching, I was reading about the events of Easter Week and, in particular, about the sufferings of Christ recorded in Isaiah chapters 52 and 53:
“See, my servant will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted
Just as there were many who were appalled at him –
His appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man,
And his form marred beyond human likeness.”
Just as there were many who were appalled at him –
His appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man,
And his form marred beyond human likeness.”
“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed
for our iniquities, the punishment that brought us peace
was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.”
for our iniquities, the punishment that brought us peace
was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.”
“Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer….”
As I watched a loved one in the hospital, my mind wandered to what it must have been like for the Father, for our heavenly Father, to watch his Son suffer the agony of the cross as He gave His life as a ransom for you and I. It was the Father who had sent the Son on this mission of salvation and now the Father had to watch each of the events from the scourging to the crown of thorns, from the mocking and reviling of others to the nailing on a wooden cross. He heard the cry of “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me” when our sins were laid upon Jesus, and the prayer of “Father, forgive them, they don’t know what they are doing” as Jesus showed compassion to the end.
The pains of watching a loved one suffer were experienced by the Father that morning in ways we can only begin to imagine. But His love for us, His desire for us to walk in salvation and life and hope allowed it and enabled Him to endure it. That is how great the Father’s love is for you and I that He watched Jesus suffer an excruciating death on the cross that we might experience eternal life. There is no doubt - God loves you and I.
Happy Easter
Pastor Joe
Gateway Church
Pastor Joe
Gateway Church
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