Busted Open

“…and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 1 Corinthians 11:24

Piñata, piñata, PIÑATA!!!...I find that to be a fun word to say. J  A couple of weeks ago I was at a friend’s birthday party, watching the festivity of blindfolded kids, young and old, getting their turns at hitting the piñata.  As I was watching that beautifully put together piñata, roped up, and swinging around, being hit by the bat, I stood there and thought “Hey, I feel like that piñata”.  Have you ever felt like one?  You just lost your job – POW!!!  Your wife disrespected you – BAM!!! Your boss belittled you – SMASH!!! Your car got totaled – POW!!!  Your husband cheated on you – SMASH!!! Your water heater busted and flooded the house – BAM!!!  Your teenager is on drugs – POW!!!  You get a zillion dollar medical bill in the mail that your insurance didn’t cover – SMASH!!! You didn’t get that promotion you really wanted – BAM!!! You were just diagnosed with cancer – SMASH!!!  Your best friend betrayed you – POW!!!  With each blow of the bat against the piñata, it swings around and around, higher and higher and gets hit repeatedly until it breaks open and…PRAISE JESUS!!! Everything heavenly sweet and wonderful comes spilling out!  I don’t know if anyone can relate or see where I’m going with this, but I felt like the Lord was showing me that the blows are not for no good reason - just to get beat and busted open – but the blows are in fact for the purpose of sweetness to spill out.  

This makes me think about Jesus.  Jesus was beat and whipped to the point where He couldn’t be recognized as His flesh was bruised, torn, and busted open. He was then roped up and nailed to a cross as His accusers stood by repeatedly mocking Him.  And as Jesus cried out, committing His Spirit to His Father, He breathed His last.  Then, as the final blow of the spear was thrust into His heart, out came spilling blood and water…O, divine sweetness of conquered sin, O sweet forgiveness!

Though you and I will never have to come close to what Jesus endured, we need to remember Him as we face blows in this life.  We need to remember that we are more than conquerors through Him who loves us and sweetness will come out of it.

To the cross I look, to the cross I cling
Of its suffering I do drink
Of its work I do sing

For on it my Savior both bruised and crushed
Showed that God is love
And God is just

At the cross You beckon me
You draw me gently to my knees, and I am
Lost for words, so lost in love,
I'm sweetly broken, wholly surrendered

What a priceless gift, undeserved life
Have I been given
Through Christ crucified

You've called me out of death
You've called me into life
And I was under Your wrath
Now through the cross I'm reconciled

In awe of the cross I must confess
How wondrous Your redeeming love and
How great is Your faithfulness

-Jeremy Riddle