Working For A Carpenter

Matthew 27:32-35 – As they were on the way, they came across a man named Simon, who was from Cyrene, and they forced him to carry Jesus' cross. Then they went out to a place called Golgotha (which means Skull Hill). The soldiers gave him wine mixed with bitter gall, but when he had tasted it, he refused to drink it. After they had nailed him to the cross, the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice. (NLT)

I worked for a carpenter the other day. It was my husband. I was helping out, filling in nail holes. A tedious task, one might think. However, I like jobs like this, and it is so satisfying to stand back and look, once the job is done.

A few times, I'd come across wood where it had split a little. To catch my finger on that smarts a bit, but I wouldn't say it was painful. To get a sliver was nothing.

As I wasn't under the clock to get the job done in a particular time, even though it seemed the job was insignificant, I did my best. I tried to make sure that I didn't leave too much excess filler on the wood, as it would be less work when the next process of sanding was done.

Then my mind started wandering … and my eyes!

The size of the nails used in this particular job was so small, compared to others my husband has in his workshop.

My mind wandered even more, then my imagination. I began to see the terribly rough wood and the huge nails used to crucify our Lord and Saviour. I can only imagine the pain He suffered. To watch my husband drive the tiny nails into the wood with a nail gun and to see how quickly they went in — I can't even try to come close to imagining the excruciating pain He felt as the huge nails were driven in, much more slowly than by a nail gun, through body parts, to the very rough wood.

All this He did for me and for you!

Prayer: Lord God, we thank You for all that You have done, for us. We can only imagine the pain that Your Son Jesus suffered when He was crucified. May the realization that Jesus died for us cause us to confess our sins, to repent, and to be transformed by Your love. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

Forward this devotional     Share this devotional on Facebook     Like PresbyCan on Facebook