BY HIS WOUNDS I AM HEALED

by Gloria A. Walker

Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. (Isaiah 53:1-5 NIV)

The three walked into the city of Jerusalem. Strange! They were told this was a busy metropolis teaming with people of all races, creed and color. Where is everyone? They stopped to ask a local merchant why the city seemed emptied of all of its citizens.

"You must be new in town. Everyone has gone to see a crucifixion."

"The whole town?" asked the first. "Isn't it a little unusual for the whole town to want to see a criminal executed?"

"This is no ordinary criminal,' replied the merchant. "He claims to be King of the Jews!" 



"Where is this crucifixion to take place?" asked the first. "I think I would like to see a King crucified." The merchant gave him directions to Golgotha, the place of the skulls.

The first, called the Body, looked at his companions. "Come, let us go see a King crucified!" The second, called Soul, began to cry. He had always wanted to see a King but these circumstances were hardly conducive to a profitable meeting. The third, called Spirit, was quietly taking everything in. He was tired, but would not argue with the Body as he was always in complete control. Every now and then the Body would let the Soul take over, but they never allowed him any say so in what they were doing or where they would go next. And He, unfortunately, was not strong enough to survive without them.

They began their journey to the place of crucifixion. The Body and the Soul were debating on the best way to get a front row seat. They looked back at the Spirit, occasionally mocking him for slowing them down. They were not as cruel as they usually were, for their minds were upon the upcoming event. Had they known the impact this crucifixion would have on their lives, they would not have hurried so to see it. So as not to miss any of the action, they each took an arm and helped the Spirit move along a little faster. Soon they were on the fringe of the crowd. They kept a tight grip on the Spirit as they rudely jostled their way through the crowd until they were standing right in front.

The eyes of the body widened as he took in the scene. The Roman soldiers had just laid the King on the wooden beams of the cross. The Soul felt an emotion he could not yet identify. The Spirit forgot his fatigue as he took in this spectacular sight. The three then gasped aloud as they noticed the eyes of the King were upon them.

They watched in amazement as the soldiers picked up the long spikes and hammer. They wanted to retreat before those eyes because they were afraid of what this King could see. Their feet, however, would not obey their wills.

Suddenly, as the spikes were pounded into the left hand of the King, the Body felt a rip in his side. He placed his hand over the wound. His eyes immediately went to those of the King. As the left hand of the King was pierced, so was the Body's vanity, conceit and pride pierced open to the gaze of the King. The Body felt as if he had been judged and found wanting. 

As the soldiers began to nail the right hand to the cross, an unseen force pulled the soul into the pierced opening of the Body. The Soul found himself emotionally drained by the experience. He was unable to use his feelings to gauge the situation to find the best way out.

As the feet of the King was impaled upon the cross, the same force pulled the Spirit into the Body as well. As the cross was lifted between the heaven and the earth, the Body, Soul and Spirit felt themselves merge and become one; a man, still three, but now operating as one. Then to the amazement of the Body and Soul, in the unseen realm of the Spirit, the King stooped down and breathed into the the nostril of the one newly formed the breath of life. And the Spirit began to strengthen until finally, he was the strongest of the three.

The Body did not easily give up his dominant role. He then, looking into the eyes of the King, felt his will give way to a more powerful one. The Soul was filled with fear of so great a power. The Spirit felt as if he had finally come home. While the other two watched nervously, the Spirit was calm, waiting to see what would happen next. 

In the unseen realm of the Spirit, the King's Spirit reached out to take the hand of the spirit of the man and placed it in the hand of God. As He saw the spirit of the man take hold of the had of God, He said, "It is finished." In the realm of the natural, the King hung His head, closed His eyes, and died.

At that moment, the Spirit of the man knew himself to be made in the image of God. And the Spirit of the man, complete in the presence of His God, knew that the desires of the Body and Soul were crucified with the King. And the Spirit of the man finally understood, "By His wounds I am healed."