Suffering the loss of a child is one of the most painful human emotional experiences for a parent. But imagine, knowing it was a violent death and then being accused of being the one who did it.
That was the plight of Lindy Chamberlain: after witnessing a dingo take her baby from a tent, she was found guilty of murdering her baby and then spent 4 years in jail before new evidence led to her release.
It would be 26 years later before the real cause of death to her beloved baby was a dingo. What a tragic and emotionally crushing reality, and as hard as it is to imagine, but there is something even worse…
Imagine being tortured, tortured slowly:
Whipped with a scourge whip (Flagran)- leather strands with metal hooks and glass that was designed to tear chunks of flesh off. The whipping so severe, the blood loss so great, that you were unable to walk, weakened. 39 Lashes of this whip, enough on it’s own to end your life.
But that isn’t the end, in fact just the start. A team of men then strip you naked, beat you mercilessly, ripping out your beard and mocking you.
The people you love have abandoned you, though they get to see you shortly… Naked, bloody, you are led in front of your mother and friend who deserted you, where large nails are hammered through your wrists and feet on to a cross.
The cross is lifted high, you unable to breathe without pulling yourself up on the nails, your massacred back dragging against the rough wood.
The crown of thorns that has been rammed into your head adds to the laughter of those who pass yet all of this overshadowed by the fact that these people, the ones that accused you, betrayed you, beat you, whipped you, condemned you, laughed at you, are literally killing you – they are people that you created, that you came to save. You are here for them, yet they hate you anyway.
And the worst is yet to come. You are about to take on all of their hatred, all their wrong actions, all their sin – the punishment of which is complete separation from your Father – the God of Heaven – who you are One with.
You are about to be abandoned by your own Father, His wrath and anger at the worlds sin is about to hit you and in that state, knowing you are separate from Him and abandoned by all, in agony, you die.
Unfair. Brutal. Crushing. Monumental. Eternal.
To think that Jesus willingly took this place is hard to comprehend. He did it for you and me. If He hadn’t we would be doomed – we would only have useless, burdensome and ineffective religion. Instead, we have the opportunity for life – life abundant – life eternal.
If you are reading this, I would ask that you simply allow the Father of Creation to reveal Himself to you.
Lord Jesus, please open our eyes to who You are. Thank You for being willing to go through such unjust treatment for us. Thank You for holding true to the will of God for us, despite the immense suffering and separation it caused You. Please change us and guide us.