The Anguish Of Anticipation

I had to have a very unpleasant medical procedure done this morning.

As I laid in the room on the narrow examination table, waiting for the procedure to start, I began thinking about what was about to take place. The pain I was going to experience, the tools that would be used on my body— the needles and the scalpels. I knew what was coming and I knew that it was something that had to be done. As I laid there and tried to mentally prepare myself for the inevitable, I thought about Christ and the emotional and mental challenges He must have experienced as His crucifixion loomed closer and closer.

Jesus knew what was going to take place. He knew that He was going to experience physical pain on level that is truly incomprehensible to everyone, other than those who actually go through it. He knew the tools that would be used on His body— the flog, the hammer, the nails. He knew it was coming and He knew it was something that had to be done.

The only window we have in the Gospels of the emotional thoughts of Christ in regard to His impending crucifixion, is the description of His anguish in the Garden of Gethsemane. We don’t know all of what Jesus thought and felt that night, but we do know that He endured much emotional trauma and mental agony before He ever actually laid on that cross. He knew that His body was about to be torn to shreds to pay for the wrongs of others, He knew the shame and suffering that was about to poured out upon Him, but He also intimately knew and loved every single person that would accept His sacrifice and be eternally saved by it.

After my procedure was done, the doctor left the room so I could re-dress. I looked down at the crimson-stained area where the procedure took place, and I thought of the precious blood of our Savior which stained His cross. As I looked at my own blood all over the procedure area, I thought to myself, “My blood has been spilled for my own healing, but His blood was spilled to heal us all.”

If you have never done so, I encourage you today to turn away from this world and away from sin and turn towards the Savior of mankind who gives us eternal life and abundantly pardons. Today is the day of salvation.

(Heb 12:2) Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, Who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

(Luke 22:44) And in His anguish, He prayed more earnestly, and His sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground.

(1 Pet 2:21-24) For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His footsteps: “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth.” When they heaped abuse on Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats, but entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly. "He himself bore our sins" in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; "by his wounds you have been healed."

(Isaiah 53:10,11) Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush Him and cause Him to suffer,
and though the Lord makes His life an offering for sin, He will see His offspring and prolong His days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in His hand. After He has suffered, He will see the light of life and be satisfied; by His knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and He will bear their iniquities.