I have been on the receiving end of a stranger blessing me unexpectedly. Let me show you what I mean. Driving at a toll booth during the time when people manned the toll booths, on two occasions, I pulled up, ready to pay my toll and I was informed that the person in front of me had paid for it. It apparently was painless, at least that is what I deducted from the smile on the face of the person that had been nice enough to pay, as he looked back. On another occasion, our own daughter-in-law was in front of us in a nearby Starbucks Drive thru lane. We did not notice it was her until we had placed our order and made that short turn to get to the order pick-up window. We waved and as with the man at the toll booth, she smiled. Little did we know that she paid for our order in advance as we were informed by the associate handing us our order. Again, as in the instance before, her giving was apparently painless.
Here is one where the giver felt pain. I’m at the same Starbucks and I had already placed my order and proceeded to pay a little over $17 for my items, breakfast sandwiches for three of us on the way to the airport. While I am waiting for my food, a different associate than the one I had paid for my order came to the window and said, “That will be $22.55.” My first response was, “I’ve already paid.” As the associate was about to walk away, and I overcame my short pain, I said, “I will pay for that order too.” After a quick transaction, she gives me my correct order. I drive away, and for a quick moment, I felt a small tinge of pain surface back up, and I said to myself, “Man! I could have used that money for lunch!” Wait now! Please know that my pain did not last too long. And get this, something about giving! When I get home there is a big box from Omaha Steaks at my front door! It was an unforeseen gift, surely given with no pain. Did you ever hear this saying, “The more you give, the more He gives to you?” I am positive, knowing the person who sent this great, expensive gift, at least ten times worth the $22.55 I had gifted to a stranger at Starbucks, he was moved by the Spirit of the Lord! I am even more positive that he did not feel any pain; not even a tinge.
Well, let me refer you to One who definitely felt pain, and suffering. And He did it for you and for me. Yes, I am talking about Jesus! Praise God! He experienced a pain so gory that we cringe every time we revisit His beatings, His carrying the cross, His being nailed to the cross and hung high for us! Yes, He experienced pain when they pierced Him in His side. But do you want to know the good news? His pain was positive in that those who believe on Him shall have everlasting life! His pain was positive because we, as believers, do not have to worry about tomorrow. We will experience “better” here on earth because of Him, and we will experience the epitome of “better” in that land where we our bound! Hallelujah! Praise God again! Now that is when pain is positive.
Getting to the cross on this first day of the year will benefit us all! Bless the Lord today! Bless Him in the sanctuary! Look at the verses below and say, “Thank you Jesus for showing us the unmatched example of when pain is positive.” Say “Thank you” again! Enjoy worship as you start your new year off right in the special presence of the Lord. Be blessed!
“Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the been revealed? And like a root out of parched ground; He has no stately form or majesty that we should look upon Him, nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him. He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried; yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; but the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him. He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth; like a lamb that is led to slaughter, and like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, so He did not open His mouth. By oppression and judgment, He was taken away; and as for His generation, who considered that He was cut off out of the land of the living for the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due? His grave was assigned with wicked men, yet He was with a rich man in His death, because He had done no violence, nor was there any deceit in His mouth. But the Lord was pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief; if He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, and the good pleasure of the Lord will prosper in His hand. As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; by His knowledge, the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, as He will bear their iniquities. Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, and He will divide the booty with the strong; because He poured out Himself to death, and was numbered with the transgressors; yet He Himself bore the sin of many, and interceded for the transgressors .” (Isaiah 53:1-12 NASB)