Many of you are aware of the troubles I have endured the past week in dealing with my elderly aunt and uncle. So much suffering, both on my part and theirs. The last thing my aunt said to me was that if I didn't come and get her and bring her home, she would have me arrested. It was so ugly.
Before I left Indianapolis I made one last stop at Rosegate to drop off some things I thought they needed. They were having a very difficult time with my aunt and asked me to go back and see if I could calm her down. I told them that I could not calm her down because I was the object of her anger. I would only make it worse. I could only imagine the venomous things she would say to me if I went back there, and I saw not reason to expose myself to that. So I left.
Driving down the road my mind was still full of all that was going on. My heart was heavy. A picture came to my mind. What if I had gone into her room and just bowed down at her feet? What if I had just let her unleash all her rage upon me? What if I had just let her hit, bite, kick, scream, until she could do no more? What if I could get up from that and look at her and say, "I love you, Aunt Betty."? What would have happened next? What would it have done to those watching?
I trembled at the thought. The horror of it was too much. I didn't do it. I couldn't do it.
And then I thought of Jesus.
In the garden, He faced the fact that there were people who had even greater rage against Him. He knew the horror that lay ahead. He trembled at the thought. His sweat was as drops of blood.
But He faced it all for me. He let them torture Him until they were satisfied. And then He said, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." He did not turn away as I did, though He wanted to every bit as much as I did. A new perspective in this Easter season.
I'm so glad for those things that God can only reveal to us in our suffering.
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