Isa 53:10- Yet it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer
The old man started awake as a rat scurried over him. The soldier next to him stirred in his sleep, opening his eyes slightly to see if all was okay before drifting back to sleep. It took a moment for the old man to get his bearings, and sighed remembering where we was. He quietly rolled over and planted his face in his hands and began to pray, giving thanks for another day to witness to the hardened young man that was chained to him in this dark, damp, always cold cell. For months he had worked on him, peeling back the layers. For a Roman soldier, prison duty was generally the worse duty that could be pulled, and kept as a punishment for soldiers who were sub-standard in some way. Yet, being with the old man for these months had softened his heart as he kept hearing of a man who did the incredible, raising the dead, making blind men see, and then did the inscrutable- dying for all men.
As the old man poured his heart and spirit into his prayer, the young soldier woke up and saw the old man again praying. It seemed to be all he did besides talking to him and other prisoners about a man named Jesus who he claimed was God. The soldier watched as the man moaned into his hands begging his God to move in the hearts of the other prisoners so that they would believe his words and be saved. Then the old man began praying for him, and the soldier’s heart was moved at the love being expressed by the old man as he begged Jesus to save him. The young mans eyes moistened as he watched the man sway, almost as if he was a women in labor straining with everything that was in him as he prayed. Something in the man’s heart stirred and broke as he watched the love of the old man pour out for him before his God.
“Paul,” he whispered, drawing the old man out of his prayer. “Tell me again about this Jesus…”. The Apostle Paul rose from his prostrate position and smiled at the young soldier, and began to speak the words that would lead him to salvation…
I was struck this week reading this verse from Isaiah- it was the Lord’s will to crush Jesus. Jesus who did not sin, but lived a life of perfect obedience to God, was crushed by a Father who love Him…
God’s ways seem so inscrutable. It’s hard for us to see the how’s and whys we go through difficult times. Paul, like Jesus, suffered for doing God’s will. It’s the exact opposite of what we or the world for that matter would expect God to do. We expect an immediate reward when we obey, but perhaps God has you on a higher road. See, if Jesus hadn’t been crushed by God, we would still be dead in our sins. If Paul hadn’t been crushed by God, we would not have a New Testament and the Gospel would have been a Jewish thing only.
In order to get wine, a grape has to be crushed. Our reaction to adversity shows the condition of our hearts and what truly dwells there. What comes out of you when God even squeezes you a little? (and lets be honest, not many of us have been squeezed as hard as Jesus or Paul!)
Make an effort in the coming year to allow God to squeeze you a little. Decide right now as you read this that you will spend more time with HIM in separated prayer- going away and being just with God. Go to your church, or for a walk in the woods and just commune with HIM. If you do that, when God decides it’s time to squeeze you, only the oil of the Holy Spirit will come forth, and that the true and loving nature of God will be shown to this lost and dying world.
It’s a higher road, but one that is worthy of Jesus if we say we are truly following HIM!
Love and blessings,
John A. Oscar
Evangelism Pastor
Prayer House Assembly of God
The old man started awake as a rat scurried over him. The soldier next to him stirred in his sleep, opening his eyes slightly to see if all was okay before drifting back to sleep. It took a moment for the old man to get his bearings, and sighed remembering where we was. He quietly rolled over and planted his face in his hands and began to pray, giving thanks for another day to witness to the hardened young man that was chained to him in this dark, damp, always cold cell. For months he had worked on him, peeling back the layers. For a Roman soldier, prison duty was generally the worse duty that could be pulled, and kept as a punishment for soldiers who were sub-standard in some way. Yet, being with the old man for these months had softened his heart as he kept hearing of a man who did the incredible, raising the dead, making blind men see, and then did the inscrutable- dying for all men.
As the old man poured his heart and spirit into his prayer, the young soldier woke up and saw the old man again praying. It seemed to be all he did besides talking to him and other prisoners about a man named Jesus who he claimed was God. The soldier watched as the man moaned into his hands begging his God to move in the hearts of the other prisoners so that they would believe his words and be saved. Then the old man began praying for him, and the soldier’s heart was moved at the love being expressed by the old man as he begged Jesus to save him. The young mans eyes moistened as he watched the man sway, almost as if he was a women in labor straining with everything that was in him as he prayed. Something in the man’s heart stirred and broke as he watched the love of the old man pour out for him before his God.
“Paul,” he whispered, drawing the old man out of his prayer. “Tell me again about this Jesus…”. The Apostle Paul rose from his prostrate position and smiled at the young soldier, and began to speak the words that would lead him to salvation…
I was struck this week reading this verse from Isaiah- it was the Lord’s will to crush Jesus. Jesus who did not sin, but lived a life of perfect obedience to God, was crushed by a Father who love Him…
God’s ways seem so inscrutable. It’s hard for us to see the how’s and whys we go through difficult times. Paul, like Jesus, suffered for doing God’s will. It’s the exact opposite of what we or the world for that matter would expect God to do. We expect an immediate reward when we obey, but perhaps God has you on a higher road. See, if Jesus hadn’t been crushed by God, we would still be dead in our sins. If Paul hadn’t been crushed by God, we would not have a New Testament and the Gospel would have been a Jewish thing only.
In order to get wine, a grape has to be crushed. Our reaction to adversity shows the condition of our hearts and what truly dwells there. What comes out of you when God even squeezes you a little? (and lets be honest, not many of us have been squeezed as hard as Jesus or Paul!)
Make an effort in the coming year to allow God to squeeze you a little. Decide right now as you read this that you will spend more time with HIM in separated prayer- going away and being just with God. Go to your church, or for a walk in the woods and just commune with HIM. If you do that, when God decides it’s time to squeeze you, only the oil of the Holy Spirit will come forth, and that the true and loving nature of God will be shown to this lost and dying world.
It’s a higher road, but one that is worthy of Jesus if we say we are truly following HIM!
Love and blessings,
John A. Oscar
Evangelism Pastor
Prayer House Assembly of God
Pastor John, great blog, great thoughts about our new president. We do need to pray for him. Bless you. Ron Auch
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