“They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.” (Matthew 27:30-31)
The second definition of crucify at dictionary.com is to treat with gross injustice; persecute; torment; torture. So hasn’t Jesus already been crucified? Jesus is not only tortured with whips, fists, a crown of thorns and a shepherd’s staff, he’s stripped of his dignity when they spit on him, mock him, and disrobe him a second time.
Being stripped of clothes, dignity, a loved one, love, or a dream, or watching a loved one go through it, is pure torture. We try to be positive and declare we’re not going to let our antagonist get away with it. But we trusted this person and he or she has already stripped us. We’re on an emotional roller coaster in between feelings of betrayal, needing to build our self worth, positivity, and negativity. We ask ourselves, “How can someone be so evil?”
On His journey, Jesus is quiet, having the same feelings and asking the same questions we do when we’re tormented. He was crucified multiple times by multiple people before he died. No person can say, “I was tortured more than Jesus.” He understands what you’re going through. There are many reasons to travel to the cross with Him. One of them is to find out how He endured being crucified.
Father God, I try to be positive. I know when a dream is stolen or a door closed, you will provide a new dream or open a window. Please help me understand how and why someone can be so evil. Give me the power of your Holy Spirit to stop the emotional roller coaster and continue the journey with Jesus to the cross. Please impart your wisdom on me. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.
Jody, Jesus understands exactly what you are going through. When someone we love has been hurt and betrayed, it hurts us too. We feel their pain, as Jesus feels our pain. It is hard to think that someone has that much power over us, to put us on such an emotional roller coaster. When we open our hearts to love we are vulnerable. I don’t believe that Jesus would ever want us to put a wall around ourselves to protect our heart or our mind, because if we did that, we would lose so much more than we would gain. We need to be strong because life is never perfect. Jesus is taking the journey with us and we need to remember to pray.
I like what you said. The only time we aren’t vulnerable is when we open our hearts to Jesus’ love. We can’t be strong enough on our own to escape unblemished; we need the power of the Holy Spirit.
Absolutely. I was trying to say that when I said, “We need to remember to pray.”
Yes, I thought so. Thanks again for your encouragement. I am praying and will be praying for you and your daughter over the next couple days. I love you!