All of my passion from the center of my gut tells me that I would stand up and die for Christ if so called upon. But I know that I cannot stand up and be so arrogant to make that claim. I cannot say that I would not bend and would not deny my savior when they ripped my fingernails off or dislocated my shoulder blades. If I was able to stand up and be martyred for Christ, though… If I were able to somehow withstand being tortured for His Namesake, it would probably only be because I realize that He did the same for me. He offered His back to be whipped with a cat of nine tails, lashed 39 times upon the flesh of His back. He set His face “like flint” towards Jerusalem months before His trial and execution. And, moments before His arrest in the garden, He surrendered to the will of His Father, which He kinda knew meant brutal punishment, mockery, being struck in the face with strong, burly fists, and tortured to death on a cross. Jesus was a real man, facing the most gruesome physical pain one can imagine. He accepted this punishment for me. Only if I realized this, dwelled upon it, and somehow by the grace of God was given strength to stand upon it, would I be able to even think I could withstand this kind of pain.
Comments