Broken Bone

Reflection:  It was the third day, or so, that I had helped my parents clean a property (e.g. cutting grass, cutting down trees, overgrown plants).  In the process of unloading the equipment, as I walked back to my truck, I tripped over a mesquite stump and took a bad fall; in the process, I broke my radius bone (which is in my forearm).  It took a total of three weeks before it could be surgically repaired. 

In the process of waiting for the day of surgery, I was getting discouraged over if and when I could get it repaired; I did not know what to do. I would cry out to God for help and guidance.  He replied through His Spirit, and brought to mind to two things: 1.) Ezekiel's vision of dry bones and 2.) Jesus bones were never broken.  

In Ezekiel 37:1-14, God gave Ezekiel a vision of a valley full of dry bones.  Yet God asked Ezekiel if he believed that these bones could have life.  Ezekiel replied hesitantly, with a "Oh Lord God, You know".  So God instructed him to speak to these bones.  These bones were going to come together, form a skeletal system.  The skeletal system would form a structure that would hold sinews, skin, and yes, even be full with the breath of life!  But God was not done.  He transformed those assembled bodies into an "exceedingly great army"!

I went through three weeks of having trouble in getting my radius bone repaired. Yet God used this illustration to assure me that if He could put together bones, give them life and make them an army, how much more could He not do with me, who only had one broken bone!  

In the case of Jesus, he never had any broken bones (John 19:35-36).  Yet, in order to understand his case, we have to observe the Passover Lamb.  In Exodus 12:46, there is a noted instruction that the Passover Lamb is not to have any bones broken.  Then we transition into Psalms. 34:19-20, where a note for the Messiah is made, he is noted as being "righteous" and that his bones are guarded and not broken.  Then in John 19:32-34, the prophecy of the Messiah, the Lamb of God, who would die for the sins of all mankind is fulfilled through Christ Jesus; when he was hanging on a cross, his bones were never broken!

I thought to myself, Jesus is thought of living up to the age of 33, here on earth, yet he never had a broken bone in all of his earthly life.  However, I, being in my later 30s had a bone broken.  Yet, because of his acceptance to be and fulfill the role of the Lamb of God, I have the opportunity to accept that "with the stripes [that wounded] Him we are healed and made whole.", Isaiah 53:5.

Let us pray.  God, thank You for Your Son, Christ Jesus.  Jesus, thank you for dying for my sins.  Though you did not experience a broken bone in your body, what you experienced for my sins was much more severe than what I could ever endure.  Thank you for doing so and using it to heal my broken bone in this day in age.  Amen.