Skip to main content

Nails

 

Nails… a building material. A metal spike with a broad head used with a hammer to join two things together. Violent force is required to drive the nail into the materials being joined together. Typically multiple swings of a hammer are required and a physicist could easily calculate the force required to drive in that nail. Each hammer swing exerts about 100 lbs of force on the nail.

Through Jesus’ crucifixion, the cross was joined together with our faith forever. A tool used for torture and death, now a symbol of forgiveness and restoration. Only Jesus could transform a barbaric killing machine into a promise of salvation and healing.  

But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by His wounds we are healed. - Isaiah 53:5

Jesus endured excruciating pain and humiliation so that He could defeat death. With each powerful swing of the hammer, Jesus was affixed to the cross. 100 lbs of pressure at a time. The cross transformed because it was joined together with the Savior of the world.  

He did it for us. Through Him we may be transformed, just like the cross.

Be blessed and be a blessing,

Matt



Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Glow Differently

I saw this quote recently, “You glow differently when your confidence is fueled by belief in yourself instead of validation from others.” I found myself wrestling with it. I completely agree with the concept that the validation of my worth is not established by the thoughts of others. While I think a positive self image is important, I do not think that it is what really makes me “glow differently.” I hope I glow differently because of whom I believe in, rather than what I believe of myself.  The author of Titus says, “But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.” (Titus 3:4-7) . Love and kindness entered the world in the form of a m...

Right In Front of Me

There is one character in the story of the night of Jesus' arrest that sticks out. He seems insignificant to what is happening. He’s almost an interruption in the story. He is only mentioned by name in one of the four gospels, even though the description of what occurred is in all four gospels.  Malchus is his name. He works for the people who want Jesus dead. His job, with his compadres, is to seize Jesus and bring him back to the high priest. There he would be subject to questioning, a trial of sorts.  As Malchus and his posse are approaching, Peter takes action to protect Jesus. “With that, one of Jesus' companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear” (Matthew 26:51). Jesus immediately tells Peter and the rest of his disciples to stop with the violence.  I wonder what Malchus thought at this point. I imagine his was in shock, I would guess he was surprised. He had just been attacked and surely is bleeding ...

Identify

 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. 1 Peter 2: 13-14 This is one of those selections of scripture that we like to gloss over while reading the Bible. This letter is written by the apostle Peter to the churches of another part of the Roman Empire. The people were located in what is now Turkey and were facing persecution for being Christians.  Christians were the new kids on the block when it came to religions. I'm sure it felt uncomfortable to the people of the time. I'd think they'd have felt similar as we would about a new cult popping up in our neighborhood.   Peter tells the church, "Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us" (1 Peter 2:12). He basically says be...