Eyes Wide Open: 41-Day Lenten Devotional Sample

Eyes Open to Physical Sacrifice

“Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering,yet we considered him punished by God,stricken by him, and afflicted.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 53:4-5

Tisha came to me with a big smile on her face. She was a delightful middle school girl who was a new Christian. She had come to embrace Jesus as her friend, Savior, and leader. She looked at me with her big brown eyes, saying, “I figured out something Jesus did when he was on the cross.” As a youth pastor, deep theological conversations with seventh graders was not the norm, so I stopped and listened.

She continued, “OK, I was thinking about the cross. Jesus was God, right?” I nodded in affirmation. “He could do anything, right?” I nodded again. “I think Jesus made it so he would not feel the pain.” She shot me a triumphant smile, and waited.

I immediately knew what was happening. Tisha was troubled about the idea that Jesus would suffer physical agony because of her sins. She decided that Jesus did what she would have done, buffer himself from the pain.  

I said a silent prayer and spoke the truth: “Tisha, it makes you sad to think of Jesus suffering for you, doesn’t it?” This time she nodded. “If you were Jesus, you would have chosen not to suffer, right?” 

Her eyes were fixed on me and very serious as she nodded again. “Tisha, you need to know that Jesus felt all of the pain that you or I would have felt if we had been nailed to a cross.”  

Her eyes welled up with tears. I went on to explain that Jesus died in our place and took our pain and punishment. I could see both her pain mingled with fresh new understanding. Her tears of sorrow turned to tears of wonder and joy.

Prayer: Savior, you took the cross, you wore my stripes, and you owned my punishment. Please help me count the cost, take up your cross every day, and be willing to suffer for the sake of your gospel. Amen.

- Written by Kevin Harney