Last night we viewed the Passion of the Christ in the Elkins movie theater. We arrived only in time to find seats in the second row, very uncomfortably close to the screen. There were times when I felt more like I was IN the picture than watching it as the surround sound seemed to thrust me into the Jerusalem crowd of people.

I cringed at the sight of the brutal whippings Jesus received. All the while my brain kept trying to tell me, “it is just a movie, it is just makeup.” I did not find myself sobbing like some. Mostly, I was sitting with my hands on my face ready to hide from the bloody scenes. I never can watch violence in any movie. However, I felt the Holy Spirit say, “Look on Him.” Look on Him whom my sins had caused such suffering. Look on Him who paid the price for my redemption, my healing and my deliverance from Satan’s dominion. Look on His body beaten, whipped to beyond human understanding. Look on His blood poured out for me – for me - for me.

Last night I questioned my apparent lack of movie theater emotion. This morning I can’t stop crying. The image of Jesus suffering and dying for me, for you, for the world, looms bigger in my mind and heart than on last night’s movie screen.

In addition to that, I am inwardly reflecting on the death scene in the movie where a
SINGLE DROP of WATER falls from the heavens and lands at the foot of the cross causing the earth to quake. I see that as a tear drop falling from Father God’s eye and I am more deeply aware of the intensity of His love for me. Pure love grieves the deepest. Just think, if you or I had been the only one in need of a Savior, Jesus would have paid that price, suffered that pain, and died that death for either one of us. It was the Father’s will!

My heart is stirred now more than ever by the Father’s great love and compassion for the sick. In Isaiah chapter 53:5 the Bible says that by Jesus’ stripes and wounds, caused by those horrible flesh tearing whippings, we have been healed. Rising up in me last night and this morning is a loud inner voice saying how dare Satan make people sick and cause such suffering on people’s bodies. Jesus paid the price for healing just as He did for salvation!

And oh, how my heart aches with the Lord Himself who lives to make intercession from heaven for us today! I see Jesus. I see the look He gave the man who carried His cross and the thief on the cross who cried out for mercy. I see that glance of love for those men and even for the soldiers who beat him and mocked him. I see the look that says, “how I desire for you to know how much my Father loves you. How I thirst and hunger for you to experience the depth of His love for you, and for this reason I lay down my life!”

No one killed Jesus. He laid down His life. However, my sins, my need for a way back to God, my need for truth, and my need for eternal life in Him caused His death.

How thankful I am that the story did not end there. Glory to God! How grateful I am that the plan of the ages was totally completed when Jesus captured the keys of death and hell from Satan and rose again! Now He reigns triumphant and victorious over the grave, and over the prince of darkness. Now His light and the love of His Father can be freely received by every person on earth. Now free access is provided to our Heavenly Father. No man comes to the Father except through Jesus. John 14:6 The picture of His lacerated back comes to my mind and I see Him lying on that stony floor where the 39 floggings tore open his body. I see all of mankind walking across His holy back gaining entrance to the heart of the Father. Oh, God how awesome is your love

My prayer… and you can make it yours:

Heavenly Father today I pray for all my family and friends and for the whole of humanity that all would come to know your great love in this season. I pray that the truth and reality of the truth that Jesus is your son, that He did indeed suffer and die for us and that He has risen and made the way for us to enjoy eternity with you will be made very clear to us all. What love you have for me Father, what love you have for me Jesus. It is more than my mind can comprehend. Nevertheless, I need to and I want to embrace you and ask you to be Savior and Lord of my life today and always! In Jesus name and by the power of His precious blood I pray.

As a side note… Doctors tell us that all diseases fall into 39 categories. How interesting that with the 39 lashes of the soldier’s whip healing was provided for all manner of sickness.