Nails

It was 1,980 years ago today that Heaven’s greatest gift was given. 1,980 years! He should have come back by now… long ago. And why hasn't He? The answer struck me between the eyes. Because we still don’t get it. We live our lives and somehow we still act as if the world revolves around us. Our plans, our dreams, ourstuff, our rights.  So often we just don’t see the big picture. It’s nothing to do with us. It’s all about His glory, and the knowledge of His name. There’s still people out there who have never even heard His name. And we carry on living our lives. The clock ticks on.

I know that for me the story of Calvary can often seem more like a fairy tale than a reality. I just can’t grasp it’s magnitude. But then there’s those moments when I can almost see it happening before my eyes. Yesterday was one of those. Father and I were putting up a counter in our utility room and I was holding the board while he drilled the screws. One of those “I’d better keep my hands out the way… that drill would really hurt” thoughts flashed through my head. And before I knew it I heard His gentle voice…

That’s what they did to My hands.

Oh Jesus! To think I’d ever be afraid to do something for You! I stood there holding that board, hearing the deafening sound of screws being ground into studs and felt like I could almost see His hands. Drills and screws are no better than hammer and nails. How could those heartless soldiers do that to Him? I never could.

And then this afternoon I was out on a walk contemplating those hands again. They actually pounded the nails through them? How could they? Then that familiar voice…

Every time you ignore Me, you pound the nails into My hands again.

Silence. I see myself taking His beautiful hand, and picking up the nail and pounding it through. And to think I've done it more times than I can count!

Then another thought hits me. Wouldn’t it have hurt Him so much worse if John, the much-loved disciple, had come and taken the hammer from the soldiers and pounded in those nails?


And yet I’m John. I say I know Him. I say I serve Him. I say I love Him. But I’m pounding nails.

We all do it. We’ve all scarred His hands. And it hurts Him—deeply.  Because the closer we’ve been to Him, the more it hurts Him when we ignore Him.

Jesus, I don’t want to ever, ever pound one more nail into Your hand. Soften my heart and make it feel. You’ve been kept waiting for 1,980 years. Give us power to never pound another nail. Teach us to forget ourselves and make our lives a mere fulfillment of Your words. Jesus, begin a revolution in our hearts that will bring You back —soon.