Crucified With Christ
by Nan Doud, Guest Writer
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
Do we have any idea what it is to be crucified with Christ? Do we really comprehend a hint of what it is to be betrayed by our beloved ones and handed over to be done away with, unceremoniously ripped off like a soiled band-aid and thrown into the rubbish heap? Do we know the strength expressed in choosing weakness, in a lion choosing to go as a lamb to the slaughter? Anything we have experienced in this life, from the most trivial to the most egregious, is but a drop in the bucket compared to the endless ocean of suffering that washed over our Jesus again and again on our behalf.
Have you met anyone of whom you can say they suffered well? Likely so, but in reality, many of those who have suffered well, have done so largely unnoticed. What you saw was a sliver on the surface of all that went on beneath it. Jesus silently accepted the judgments, accusations, insults, and even beatings of those whom He came to save because of the joy set before Him.
What was that joy? You. Me. “An inheritance of nations.” He took those wounds that are visible even now, and He showed them to His friends when they simply could not believe. He showed them not as proofs of how evil those who pierced Him were, but as proofs of how dearly He loved them.
Lord, may I wear my own wounds with the humility and grace of my Jesus, who doesn’t shame me with those scars, as He very well could do with all justice and integrity, but rather holds them out to say, “Look, Dear Heart, see how much I love you. Let me heal you with these wounds…” Lord, may I grow to accept and embrace that you may heal me, and perhaps even others, through the wounds you have allowed to mark my life.
LIFE GIVING ENCOURAGEMENT
Ask the Lord to help you see beyond the happy faces people often put on as they walk into the church building or go about their lives. Ask Him to remind you of that one who you know is dealing with excruciating pain, perhaps the loss of a spouse a year ago or a mother whose child is chronically ill, or the woman whose husband broke her heart with infidelity. A hug, a word of encouragement, or an invitation to lunch or coffee – the Lord will multiply a simple act of love into beautiful comfort for a friend who is trying to “suffer well”.
STORE UP MORE TREASURES
At some point in our lives, we or someone we know will go through great suffering. I encourage you to go the MARKINC website and listen to OCD and the Search for Truth audio resource so that you can store up treasures of encouragement for the next rainy day in your life or someone else's. Here is a summary and teaser of this resource:
A courageous woman shares her lifelong struggle in the grip of the lies of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Though typically thought of as someone who washes their hands repetitively, some people struggling with OCD have other rituals and some merely struggle secretly in their thoughts. OCD is a debilitating disease that affects millions of Americans and it is believed less than 10% seek treatment. Here is a look at the many different faces of OCD and how Gail’s increasing knowledge of the disorder and her faith have helped her begin to heal.
Nan Doud and her husband, Shawn, currently minister alongside one another at Samaritan Ministries International as Needs Advocates. They have spent 21 years of marriage in full time Christian ministry while raising their four boys who are all teenagers now. Nan enjoys writing poetry and meditations on the intersection of life and grace as expressed in the Bible. She loves articulating and dialoguing with people on how the gospel touches both our cultural and individual struggles.
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