A
Gift of Love
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his
only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal
life.” John 3:16
Carpal Tunnel hand surgery. Easy-peasy. Only local
anesthesia, out-patient, I can drive myself to and from the hospital. Only
takes about ten minutes to do after the prep. Maybe three stitches. I was
prepared for this “little” procedure, no biggie.
When I arrived home, swelling, soreness, and stiff
fingers dictated some rest and certainly curtailed what I had planned to do for
the rest of the day. When the numbing effect wore off, the pain set in.
Four days later, the wrapping came off. I could see
the nasty incision in the lower part of my left palm, waiting to bleed again if
I wasn’t careful with my hand.
On the fifth day, as I changed my bandage, I took
another look at my boo-boo. And then it hit me. Is this what Christ’s palm
looked like when the nails pierced His hands? My incision was in the spot where
Christ probably took those gargantuan spikes. The room spun a little, and I sat
down to process this thought.
So many differences in our holes, mine and Christ’s.
Only one palm for me. Two for Jesus, plus His feet.
My “hole” did not go all the way through. Jesus’s
holes gaped wide open on both sides.
I was asked to remove my wedding band. Jesus was
ordered to strip.
Soft music in the background of the surgical room
soothed me. Jesus heard nothing but jeers.
My procedure was performed in a sterile hospital
environment with friendly attendants. Jesus had to deal with flies and gnats
while mockers hurled insults.
I rested upon a clean white sheet fitted to a
comfortable surgical mattress. Jesus’s body hung on a wooden cross, laced with
splinters.
I wore comfortable clothes. Did Jesus get to wear any?
I had Tylenol on hand to take. None for Jesus.
I came home to a loving husband who was very willing
to assist me as needed. Jesus was alone, separated from His Heavenly Father
until He breathed His last.
My out-patient procedure was done to relieve tingling
due to nerve damage in my hand. Christ’s “procedure” was to take on the sins of
the entire world, past, present, and future.
Before placing another fresh bandage on my healing
wound, I thought about how the author of life was murdered by evil men. Jesus
was innocent, yet he died the death of a criminal. The depths of God’s love for
His people undergirded Jesus’s crucifixion. Because of Jesus’s death on the cross,
my life will never be the same. Jesus gave me a gift of love which can never be
taken away.
A little time has passed and my hand is healing. I
have a small scar. But that little blemish will always remind me of Christ’s
wounds in both hands and His gift of love for all of mankind for an eternity.
Becky Van Vleet
Becky Van Vleet is a retired teacher and principal and award-winning multi-genre author. She has been published in Guideposts, The Country Register, and Christian Devotions Ministry. Her children’s picture books are the recipients of the 2020 Excellence in Editing award as well as the Purple Dragonfly award in 2020 and 2021. She and her husband make their home close to Colorado Springs where she enjoys gardening, hiking, oil painting, power walking, and spending time with her family, especially reading books to her grandchildren.
Becky is the author of Unintended Hero, a true
story about her father’s battles, experiences, and adventures in WWII aboard
the USS Denver. She is passionate about sharing the values from the
Greatest Generation and enjoys speaking to high school classes about
patriotism.
A member of ACFW, Allauthor, and Pikes Peak Writers, Becky
has devoted her website to creating and preserving family memories and sharing
family stories for the next generations through her monthly blogs. You can find
her at: https://beckyvanvleet.com.
She would love to hear from you, especially if you have a family story to share!
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