Jesus Took Pain & Death

In God's own form existed he,
And shared with God equality,
     Deemed nothing needed grasping.
Instead, poured out in emptiness,
A servant's form did he possess,
     A mortal man becoming.
In human form he chose to be,
And lived in all humility,
     Death on a cross obeying. (Philippians 2:6-8 ISV)


I'm down in a hole.  It's deep.  I can't get out of it.  It's my fault.  I'm hurting and I know that I'm going to die. I look up.  I see a figure at the top of the hole.  Slowly the image comes into focus.  It's Jesus.  He's up top because he didn't fall.  He knew how to avoid the potholes in life.  I call out to him, "Hey Jesus, can will you help?  Could you throw down a rope or something?  I really don't want to be here...to die down here."  Now I wonder...what will he do?


I jump a little at the noise of a loud "thump" next to me.  I look over expecting to find the end of a rope coiled up on the cavern floor beside me.  Suddenly a strange feeling envelopes my whole body.  It's not a rope.  It's a person.  It's Jesus.  He stands up slowly, obviously hurt by the fall.  Without even attempting to brush himself off, he looks at me through eyes that show excitement, joy, and love all at once.  They also look a bit weary as though he hasn't gotten any sleep since I fell down here.  He opens his mouth and I here his voice saying, "Let's get you out of here."  He knelt down for me, told me to stand on his shoulders, lifted me up, and boosted me out of the hole...only to be left behind.  He was left behind where I was.  He is hurting.  He will die.


When God came down in the form of a man, it was much like this picture.  He left a safe, secure place where He deserved to stay.  He humbled himself to become one of us, raised by us, taught by us, lived with us, was persecuted by us, and died at our hands.  He did it all because He loves us.