Put Down Your Hands
I was watching NCIS – one of my favourite shows on TV. Every few minutes I had to put up my hands in front of my eyes to stop myself looking at some autopsy’s that were being performed. Now I know that these are done on Dummies with fake blood, with fake visuals of people’s injuries. But they look so real.
Then on came a news break where they interviewed a lady who had skin cancer that had been missed by her GP doctor. Her beautician that she had been to for 6 years had noticed some spots on her nose that did not look good and encouraged her to get it checked out. So off to a skin specialist who after some biopsy’s found the start of cancer on her nose but a very progressed cancer on her chest. The news report then showed viewers the scars left from the surgery. I turned my face away but not before seeing a glimpse of some of the scars.
Then came breaking news about the war in Ukraine. The reporter verbally stated, “Warning- This article contains graphic content that may disturb some viewers.” I knew then what visual atrocities and heartache would be shown on the screen. My heart felt heavy and was bleeding for all those involved. All of those fighting for freedom. I put my hands in front of face and started to pray.
I continued to think about all of this as I was praying.
People are dying.
I hope not just SOME but ALL viewers ARE disturbed by these realities. That our hearts are still so soft that our stomachs belch at what is TRUE LIFE for many people.
I was so disturbed that I reached for my Bible. I opened the pages, looking for comfort from God’s word. Looking for some consolation, some prayers to pray.
And I opened up at Luke’s Gospel. Chapter 23 verse 26 to verse 49.
The Crucifixion Of Jesus.
Oh, another gruesome story. This story has the beatings, the suffering, the scars, the horrendous torture of this innocent man. We so often, though, read it as unreal. We read it without feeling our hearts are torn in two. We often read it not affected by this story at all.
As I was reading, I could now see more of what Christ Our Lord went through for us. What suffering HE BORE for OUR SINS.
HE knew and could relate with ALL the innocent casualties of War, with all the atrocities that occur and have occurred to people on this Earth.
Will I too, in this circumstance of what happened nearly 2000 years ago, put up my hands so I don’t see? Will I turn a blind eye to NOT be disturbed by This? Will I close the Bible so as to avoid the pictures that come into my mind of Christ’s last Day of Life on Earth?
So, as I prayed, I read the depiction of Jesus’ death again. But with different eyes.
He was beaten, flogged, tortured, spat upon, scoffed at, persecuted and murdered for us.
If I close my eyes I can see the picture, see the pain, see the bloodshed.
My heart bled for Him.
I understood just a little bit more of the Sacrifice of Jesus. Of His Love for me.
This has not changed me in how I put up my hands in front of my face to avoid seeing certain pictures on my TV screen, but it has changed me more inside. It has made me more sensitive to the suffering of mankind. More aware and grateful for Christ’s death on the Cross. His sacrifice for me.
Tears of gratitude flood my soul as Good Friday approaches and all that that day means to all of Humanity. That Jesus’ death has given ALL of us Freedom.
Do you need to reflect upon this, to pull down your hands and SEE what Christ has done for you?
May these jottings from my journal inspire you to believe in and fall in love with Christ- the hope of the world, as stated in Jeremiah 17:7, ‘Blessed is the man who believes and trusts in and relies on the Lord and whose hope and confident expectation is the Lord!’
Love
Rosemary
Every week groups of ladies meet together to chat about the things I raise in my weekly blog post and to chat about life in general. We call these ‘Heart Connect’ groups. If you would like more information please click HERE.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
What does the crucifixion of Jesus mean to you?
Are there areas of your life that you need to see with different eyes what Jesus has done for you?
9 Comments
Sandie Murray
I was a Christian but the first time my boyfriend , now my husband of 55 years, asked me to go to Mass .. I saw Jesus on the cross it changed my life at 14 1/4 years old! I have never been the same!!! I am ever so grateful and 60 years of Lent and still want to know Him more! What a blessing you and Bruce are to the entire Church!!! All denominations who believe the Truth of Father, Son and Holy Spirit! Continue to bring unity to the family!! Have a very blessed Easter!
Susan Dudek
Sandie Murry, I’ve been Roman Catholic since birth…I’ve been to a variety of church services at other churches. None of them compare to the Holy Mass! I’m so happy you agree! Because we have the Holy Eucharist, it is the reason to be closer to Jesus each and every day. Except after Holy Thursday Mass…I feel so empty and sad when Jesus is gone until Easter Vigil!
Happy Holy Easter Sunday to you, Sandie and all following Bruce and Rosemary Downes.
God Bless Bruce and Rosemary and their Team for sharing such important views and teachings to us all! You are most certainly valued.❤️🙏🏼
Princess
Thank you & your husband for encouraging & enlightening posts always. I would like to ask for prayer, for my health, & my finances. I want to do more Financial Kingdom work. I want to bless Ministries, People, Make A Wish Foundation, Shriners Hospital, Children of St. Jude Hospital, Feed The Hungry, & etc.
Thank you for your prayers!
To you, your husband, & your family, have a safe, healthy, joyous, & blessed Easter.
Martha
I just want to say Rosemary that I’m very inspired by the way you preach, you put your all into it, that as I am listening to you I also get tears in my eyes. May god continue blessing you n your family.
Deanna Francke
Thank you Rosemary for these thought provoking words. Yes, we all need to meditate on what took place on Good Friday and what Christ did for us through the crucifix and the resurrection.
I pray that God will bless you, Bruce, your family & the team abundantly this Easter. 🌼✝💝
Kim Whitaker
I always watch the passion of Christ on Good Friday. Always son my heart out. Painful to watch, but I fall in love with Jesus more.
We will never comprehend the pain our Lord suffered. But the fact that he endured this so I a sinner can be saved is overwhelming. Have a Blessed Easter🙏🙏
Maureen Green
You have put my feelings into words beautifully. It is just so hard.
I find the Sorrowful Mysteries very difficult and the Stations of the Cross Impossible
To get through without ending up in floods of tears by the end. Pictures from the Ukraine turn my stomach over. Is this really happening? At the end of my prayers for the
Ukraine people I always say “Please God stop Putin” no one else seems to be able to.
Thanks Rosemary
Valerie Lack
Yes, to all you said. Heart, mind and soul cry out. “ Thy will, not my will be done” Amen.
Valerie Simms
Thank you Rosemary for sharing how you feel about suffering and especially concerning the suffering our Lord Jesus had to endure so that you and I and all the world could be saved!!! I have to admit I don’t like suffering at all and I don’t like even seeing insects suffering, when my cat launches on them and eats them!!! So imagine what I would be like if I saw in person, all the suffering our Lord Jesus had to bear right up to His death on the Cross!!! And He did this for all of us !!! Yes you are right Rosemary, our Lord can truly relate to the suffering and horrific loss of innocent lives we see in Ukraine, and elsewhere around the world on the news! And yes I too could not stand to see anymore, as I stormed into my bedroom to pray on my knees for Ukraine! My only and greatest consolation and hope I have is that the life we live here on earth, cannot compare with the life we will have with our Great, Ever Loving God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit in Heaven, with all the Angels and Saints. No more weeping! No more suffering! No more pain! Only Love, Peace and Joy!!! May God bless you greatly and keep on inspiring you to write such great, wonderful blogs!!!