THIRSTY ON THE CROSS

Thirsty on the Cross
by Max Lucado

Jesus’ final act on earth was intended to win your trust.

This is the final act of Jesus’ life. In the concluding measure of his earthly composition, we hear the sounds of a thirsty man.

And through his thirst—through a sponge and a jar of cheap wine—he leaves a final appeal.

“You can trust me.”

Jesus. Lips cracked and mouth of cotton. Throat so dry he couldn’t swallow, and voice so hoarse he could scarcely speak. He is thirsty. To find the last time moisture touched these lips you need to rewind a dozen hours to the meal in the upper room. Since tasting that cup of wine, Jesus has been beaten, spat upon, bruised, and cut. He has been a cross-carrier and sin-bearer, and no liquid has salved his throat. He is thirsty.

Why doesn’t he do something about it? Couldn’t he? Did he not cause jugs of water to be jugs of wine? Did he not make a wall out of the Jordan River and two walls out of the Red Sea? Didn’t he, with one word, banish the rain and calm the waves? Doesn’t Scripture say that he “turned the desert into pools” (PSALM 107:35 NIV) and “the hard rock into springs” (PSALM 114:8 NIV)?

Did God not say, “I will pour water on him who is thirsty” (ISAIAH. 44:3NKJV)?

If so, why does Jesus endure thirst?

While we are asking this question, add a few more. Why did he grow weary in Samaria (John 4:6), disturbed in Nazareth (Mark 6:6), and angry in the Temple (John 2:15)? Why was he sleepy in the boat on the Sea of Galilee (Mark 4:38), sad at the tomb of Lazarus (John 11:35), and hungry in the wilderness (Matt. 4:2)?

Why? And why did he grow thirsty on the cross?

He didn’t have to suffer thirst. At least, not to the level he did. Six hours earlier he’d been offered drink, but he refused it.

They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means The Place of the Skull). Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, buthe did not take it. And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get. (Mark 15:22–24 NIV,italics mine)

Before the nail was pounded, a drink was offered. Mark says the wine was mixed with myrrh. Matthew described it as wine mixed with gall. Both myrrh and gall contain sedative properties that numb the senses. But Jesus refused them. He refused to be stupefied by the drugs, opting instead to feel the full force of his suffering.

Why? Why did he endure all these feelings? Because he knew you would feel them too.

He knew you would be weary, disturbed, and angry. He knew you’d be sleepy, grief-stricken, and hungry. He knew you’d face pain. If not the pain of the body, the pain of the soul … pain too sharp for any drug. He knew you’d face thirst. If not a thirst for water, at least a thirst for truth, and the truth we glean from the image of a thirsty Christ is—he understands.

And because he understands, we can come to him.

NEW Gift Book! This story from:
This is Love - The Extraordinary Story of Jesus
Copyright (Thomas Nelson, 2011) Max Lucado

Dance Your Shoes Off...

This is so cool... made me wish I was there... dancing my shoes off. What a great way to worship and praise the one who rose from the dead!! JESUS IS ALIVE!!!!!

HOP

What has been happening in the past month plus 3 days? Well, certainly not blogging. However, I won't bore you with that time span... we'll start fresh... again.

Masha and I went to see "Hop" last weekend with plans of taking Sammy and Lizzie this Friday but really found it not worth the time. What continually went through my head was that they never touched on anything real about Easter. This review does a good job of saying how I felt after leaving the theater. Read it here. Next we plan to try "Rio" and take the kids to see this G-rated animated movie. Maybe we'll have better luck with the parrots.

I love sports... and anyone who just sort of knows me probably realizes that. March Madness is one of my most favorite times of the year. I've watched so many basketball games in the past weeks and loved every minute of it. Unlike many of my male friends, I also enjoy the women's tournament. And if some of them would give it a try, so would they. I dare any of them to go up against Maya Moore or Shekina Strickland and come out unscathed. I would have liked to see the underdog Butler team win last night but it was not to be. And tonight's women's championship? I don't really have a favorite... my team is the Lady Vols and they were beat. The Lady Huskies lost in the Final Four and that was one of the sweetest games I've seen in a long time. Another favorite is Stanford and they lost in the Final Four, too. So tonight I'll be watching Texas A&M and Notre Dame. Being born in Texas maybe I should root for them... I'm sure Joshua B. would appreciate it.

Last night was my first Cardinal game of the season... and it was soooooo cold. And I really thought I was dressed for it.... turtleneck, long sleeve t-shirt, hoodie sweatshirt, coat, gloves, scarf, long underwear... and Masha even got me hand warmers. Then the only thing that was warm were my hands. :-) Not often do you see us bundled up like this for a Cardinal game...
And to remind you of the crazy weather in St. Louis? This picture was taken on Sammy's birthday - February 17... it would have been a much better day for a baseball game...
And allow me to go back about one more thing... an incredible surprise awaited me one night after a hockey game. I was expecting Chris... I was not expecting his sweet, sweet friend. :-)
That's it for now - work is calling my name. Perhaps it won't be so long before the next post. Perhaps I'll even take you along on the journey I'm considering starting.