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| Painting (section of larger work) by Eugene Judge |
I have a toothache. A week ago I chomped down on a hard
piece of granola, about the consistency of cement, and chipped an old filling. My
family knows how obsessed I am about cleaning my teeth. I floss at least three
times a day and brush at least four times a day…but I was less diligent as a
kid. So this old filling in my molar cracked through to the tooth. The dentist
knocked out the half that hung by a thread. It didn’t hurt then, but after he
placed a temporary something to shape a tooth, it gradually ached, gradually
throbbed, and felt infected. Oh, the regret for loving junk food as a child!
Today is Good Friday, and the day after Purim, so my dentist
is on vacation. I will have to suffer until Monday morning. I never thought I’d
look forward to a root canal, but I’m ready to do anything to rip out this
pain.
I’m reminded of the pain Jesus suffered. My little pain, intolerable
to me, doesn’t even reach one percent of what Jesus endured. He didn’t complain
when He was beaten, spat upon, tortured and finally hung on the cross. I can’t
imagine that kind of agony. And to think He suffered this punishment that He
never deserved in our place.
Isaiah 53 says it all:
Who has believed our
message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? He grew up like a
tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to
attract us to Him. He was despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows, and
familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces He was
despised, and we esteemed Him not. Surely He took up our infirmities and
carried our sorrows, yet we considered Him stricken by God, smitten by him, and
afflicted. 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.
This is love. When I read this, my tiny tooth doesn’t hurt
so much. I am humbled. I look forward to my mouth healing, but Jesus looked
forward to His resurrection and victory over sin and death. He would join the
Father and make a way for His children to enter heaven’s gate. He saw the place
of no more pain, or sorrow or tears. Or toothaches. He was willing to suffer
because He loves us more than we can imagine and wants us to follow Him into
His perfect kingdom.
A toothache won’t stop me from celebrating the most amazing
day in history. Jesus is alive, and I choose to live in Him.
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If you'd like to read other stories by Francy...
Novel
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If you'd like to read other stories by Francy...
Novel
Anthology: Three poems, one short story
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