Thoughts for another day

April 5, 2007

Today's verse: Jn. 19:28. Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. (KJV)
(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

In the sufferings of Jesus, one thing we must bear in mind and keep close to our hearts is that Jesus never thought of Himself during His ordeal. He thought of us. On the Cross, Jesus felt thirsty. Being human, He would because, He was arrested the previous night, tried by the Sanhedrin in the night itself, tried by Pilate early morning, scourged thereafter and then hanged. No rest, no water, no nothing.

But, when He uttered ‘I thirst’ it wasn’t really for the physical thirst He felt. Rather, it was the thirst He felt so deeply in His heart for you and me and the whole of humanity. Through the Spirit, He could see the wanderings of man through the ages. He could visualize each one of us doing meaningless things and running after illusions. There was nothing in us He could be happy about. Each one of us, going about in a way, that would bring to zero, His love for us. He had asked us to love one another but He knew we would hate one another.

He had told us there is need of only one thing, that is to sit at His feet and that was the last thing He knew we would do. He had said, ‘come to Me all you who labor and are heavy burdened and I will give you rest’, yet, He knew we would never go to Him, running all over the place instead. Man was banal and a liability. He had done His best but the apparent results were not too encouraging. But, that is our way of thinking.

In His expression of thirst, He displayed His helplessness to His Almighty Father, knowing there was nothing impossible with Him and that in course of time, His Father would restore the kingdom and bring all men to the knowledge of Him and that every knee would bow and every tongue would confess that Jesus Christ is Lord unto the Father’s Glory. Therefore, He later cried ‘It is finished.’ My friend, this does not take away the fact that we have made Him thirst. Reflect inside of you and see His bloodied and broken face. What do you see? Only love for you no? Then today, commit your life to Him with all its warts and cuts and tell Him Lord, you thirsted for me but here Lord I am; do with me as You please and lead me home. Surely, my friend, He will rejoice and say, ‘you will be with Me in Paradise.’