Crushed to Glorify

Psalm 53: 10-11
10
But the LORD was pleased
To crush Him, putting Him to grief;
If He would render Himself as a guilt offering,
He will see His offspring,
He will prolong His days,
And the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand.
11
As a result of the anguish of His soul,
He will see it and be satisfied;
By His knowledge the Righteous One,
My Servant, will justify the many,
As He will bear their iniquities.

When I first read this passage I went, HUH?! The Lord was PLEASED to crush Him? He's talking about His one and only SON, here!! But then, I kept reading.

I grew more and more astounded and humbled and loved....and positively on-the-floor in thankfulness that God was pleased to offer His Son (who, of anyone I know, would be the only One who could "handle" it) so that my sin...your sin...my "stuff"...your "stuff" could be crossed out with a big, blood-red X. Done so that when He looked at us we would be as white as that lamb He led to slaughter...for US. The Lord was pleased to crush Him because He KNEW that in so doing He was offering us a way Home.

If that doesn't bring tears of amazement, you don't know Jesus. And, if you don't...you can. John 14: 6 says, "Jesus said to him (Thomas), "I am the way, and the truth and the life; no one comes the Father but through me." Acts 4: 11 & 12 say, "He is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders, but which became the chief corner stone. And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved." Romans 10: 9 says, "...that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved..." All of this to say that Jesus, the Lamb of God who was slaughtered for us, is the only way to Heaven. We have a choice in the matter...will you accept a love so amazing and pure you can never fully grasp the "why" of it? Or will you continually deny you're lovable and know Him but not KNOW Him? 2 Peter 3:9 ~ "The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for ALL to come to repentance." He's there...just like that picture we've seen where Jesus is standing at the door preparing to knock...or maybe He's knocking...just know this: He'll never pound on your door. He's just waiting for you to hear Him. Today?