He Understands

"Christus” (1896), by Fritz von Uhde

I like this picture of Christ. It is so human, and speaks to me as does this scripture:

The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned. The Lord GOD hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back. I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting. For the Lord GOD will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed. (Isaiah 50:4-7 KJV)

God created man, then became man so we could understand that when He speaks of what we are to do, He has done it.

When we experience sorrow, pain, grief, shame, we know He is not removed from those experiences. We do not pray to a far off deity who simple watches His creation. We reach out to our Father who loved us to explain that love:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:16-18 KJV)

We think of His death on the cross and tend to forget the thirty years lived as we live, without attention except from family and friends. We tend to forget the daily activities of the three years of witnessing to people, sharing God’s message to the people He loved. We tend to concentrate on those three years, and the last three days.

Oh, we celebrate His birth, mourn His death and believe in His resurrection – but we think of those as “mountain top” experiences and forget that He applied God’s teachings every single day of His life. Here on earth, and in our future.

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2 KJV)

He endured shame while despising it. He knows what it feels like when we feel ashamed – which we should because of our own nature to go against God’s will. He sees it from both viewpoints. He understands us, though we cannot understand all that He is – for now.

There will come a time when we bow before Him. It is up to us whether He will understand and say, “Well done.” If we do nothing – it cannot be said.