JESUS AND THE PATH OF SUFFERING

Luke 9:23-24--And He said to all, if any person wills to come after Me, let him deny himself--that is, disown himself, forget, lose sight of himself and his own interests,  refuse and give up himself--and take up his cross DAILY, and follow Me [that is, cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example, in living and if need be in dying also].  For whoever would preserve his life and save it, will lose and destroy it; but whoever loses his life for My sake, he will preserve and save it [from the penalty of eternal death]. (AMP.)

This vision experience with our Lord took place in the latter part of the 1970's so I was fairly new in the Lord and there was much I did not yet understand.  Please bear in mind as you read this account that it is symbolic of partaking in the life of our Lord and sharing in His sufferings.  The work of the cross is empowered by God's grace and leads one to becoming His disciple.

I was in the spirit and I was bowing low before the Lord's feet in adoration.  As I knelt before our Savior I encountered something that seemed strange to me at this time.  As I looked upon His feet, I saw His nail prints ~ with open, visible, bleeding wounds.  Then suddenly I saw something take place unexpectedly ~ something which I had never seen or thought of before.  There was blood oozing and flowing from each open wound of the Lord's feet and it flowed outward into a stream of bright red blood widening as it flowed.  Immediately the sight of the Lord's wounds and the continuing flow shocked and pained me so deeply that I didn't think I could bear to be a witness to this suffering of His.  I felt as though I didn't want Him to experience 'that part' of His suffering and that I couldn't bear to see it.  Then I fell quickly before the Lord's wounded and bleeding feet, weeping and sobbing so very hard.  I ached for His suffering and bleeding to stop ~ but it wouldn't. 

So many questions filled my mind and heart at once and I asked the Lord with my eyes as I looked into His Face, "Why is this happening, Lord?  Does it hurt you?  Are you really suffering?'  I found it very difficult to even ask Him these questions as I was before Him.  But in His gentle and tender way He graced me with the ability to express the hidden questions of my heart and He made me to know that His sufferings were surely in accordance with His will.  Immediately I knew that what He spoke was truth and I ached to be a part of His suffering and affliction. 

Quickly I gathered the flowing blood from His feet and began to spread it, first on one arm and then I spread it on the other arm.  It seemed as though there was no time to lose.  I knew just what to do as I continued this covering with His precious blood on one leg and then on the other leg and lastly, I covered my entire face.  Surely, I had to be a part of the Lord's sufferings.  Then I felt an intense urgency to go and sit beside the Lord's feet and legs.  I moved as closely to Him as I could.  I held onto Him so very tightly as though I would never leave ~ as though I would always stay right beside Him in this way.  He was my only passionate desire...to know, love and serve Him. 

But then surprisingly, He left my side.  He began to walk away from me down a straight and narrow path.  Oh, I couldn't bear for Him to leave me so I swiftly crawled after Him on my hands and knees as He walked ahead of me.  Along the path He spilled huge drops of His blood ~ leaving a trail behind Him.  As I crawled after Him I knew I could do nothing else but take up each drop of His precious blood and consume it.  Nothing else mattered.  I was also the onlooker in this vision and as I watched myself consuming these drops of blood, I thought to myself, how strange that act appears'.  Yet it was NOT strange to me at all in the spirit!  It was the only action I was drawn to take.  It was my one passionate desire ~ there was no other way.   I was so deeply impressed that not one of these precious drops of the Lord's blood was to be missed and that all must be consumed.  In fact, I was desperately and speedily making sure that non of the drops were missed.  And thus the vision ended on the path of suffering with the Lord continuing His walk down His straight and narrow path with me, His redeemed child, following close behind. 

Dear Abba Father, thank You for giving us the gift of our Beloved Savior so that we may be His gift to You. 

O Beloved Bridegroom, have mercy on us!  I thank You for Your remembrance that we are but dust and fail many times in brokenness, but that You with Your infinite love are mindful of us always.  Your invitation to follow you on the path of suffering is Your heart's cry and I ask that You would continue to draw us closer, deeper, and higher in the true knowledge of You and that we may be a comfort to You and the reward for your sufferings.  In Your wonderful Name we pray.  Amen

Heb. 13:12-14--Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate.  So, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach.  For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come.

1 Peter 4:1-2--Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.

1 Peter 4:19--Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator. 

Leviticus 17:11--For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that makes an atonement for the soul.

THE JEWELS OF SUFFERING

1/23/04~

When I meditate upon your bleeding on the cross, my Lord

And I think upon your every painful wound

My heart swells with such a burning love for you

And I fall in love with you . . . all over again.

When I muse upon the crown of thorns pressed on your head, my King

And I gaze upon your nail-scarred hands and feet

My heart magnifies with deeper love for you

And I fall in love with you . . . all over again.

When I survey the throbbing soreness of your broken heart, my Friend

How your surely were consumed by all my sin

Then my heart rises with overwhelming love for you

And I fall in love with you . . . all over again.

When I ponder how you chose this path of life for me, my Love

And I consider You alone are all my Prize

Then I take up my own cross to follow closely after You

And I fall in love with you . . . all over again.

When I consider all your gentle touches, loving Master

And how you brush me with your sweet kisses and embrace me

Then I am struck with fervent ardor as I meet you face to face

And I fall in love with you . . . all over again.

John 19:34
But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.

Mark 15:17
And they clothed him with purple, and platted a crown of thorns, and put it about his head,

Ephesians 2:16
And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby.

Philippians 3:18
(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:

1 Corinthians 1:18
For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.


Luke 9:23
And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.