What witchdoctor decided it was advantageous to stick one’s head into a small dark box and beat on it with sledgehammers? I refer of course to an MRI or magnetic resonance imaging. A few weeks ago this happened to me for thirty minutes. The top of the box was about an inch from my nose. There was no music, just the sadistic voice of the operator who would occasionally stop the pounding to announce to me three more minutes. After which he announced eight more minutes and then five, etc. He gave me a panic button which he promised if I pressed it he would immediately extract me. But my manhood was at stake. How could I press the button and declare that I was a wimp? For thirty minutes I kept my eyes closed and took journeys to the beaches of Mombasa, I climbed Mt. Shasta and spent an evening enjoying The Nutcracker in Atlanta, Ga.
What a marvelous mind we have. With enough determination and concentration we can bear almost anything. In no way do I even begin to hint that having an MRI is anything like what Jesus endured. But in that box I did think of Hebrews 12:2. “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross. . .” There it is. This was why Jesus did not press the panic button. He could have. He said, “Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?” Matthew 26:52. And what was that joy? It was having you and me with Him for eternity. Awesome!
Written by Roger Bothwell on May 25, 2012
Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574
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