~Hitting The Nail On The Head~

Have you ever missed hitting the nail on the head? Have you ever had a blood blister, you know those tiny little places on the end of your finger that hurt really big? That is how I would define a blood blister. The actual definition is a blister that occurs after a smashing injury. Blood is pumped between the layers of injured skin raising a blister of blood. The other day I missed a nail and hit my thumb and acquired a blood blister. The tiny little scar left a painful reminder of my mistake of not hitting the nail on the head. That little scar also got me to thinking about the guy who nailed Jesus to the cross so long ago. I was wondering was it possible, could he have missed hitting the nail and hit his thumb instead? Of course I know he was probably actually using something more like a sledge hammer and those nails were more like the size of railroad spikes, but still I wondered what if.

I am probably one of only about ten Christians who hasn't seen the movie "The Passion." I have heard during the crucifixion scene the nailer looks toward Jesus and their eyes meet. I don't know if it really happened that way. The Bible doesn't tell us that much about the crucifier. If it were me, I don't know how I could have looked at His face. I wouldn't have wanted to see all the pain in the eyes of Jesus. I know in those days crucifixion was a common punishment. The one who actually nailed the nails; his heart was probably so hardened, it didn't really bother him. Perhaps he thought he was just doing his job.

As I looked at my own blood blister, I wondered how long that scar would be there. If the man who nailed Jesus made a mistake, missed and got a blood blister, how long did his scar remain? How long did Jesus carry the scars from those nails that were driven by the Roman soldier?

According to a medical guide for first aide for blisters, blood blisters usually heal within seven to fourteen days. I think Jesus' scars, His pain and hurt, lasted just a little longer than two weeks. Just as His scars lasted a long time, so does His blood that came forth as those nails were driven. The one who nailed the nails; if he did have a blood blister, it only lasted a little while I am sure. One drop of the blood of Jesus Christ last for all eternity.

The Bible doesn't tell us what the nailer's outcome was. We might very well meet him one day in heaven. For you see, if after he received that blood blister as a reminder of his mistake, three days later he might have received one drop of the blood of Jesus Christ that covered all the mistakes he had ever made. He might have seen Jesus Christ was risen from the dead, came to realize He was the way, the truth, and the life, and received His salvation. Just one drop of blood that had dripped from that nail he drove was all it took to forgive his every sin, even the sin of driving those nails into the Son of God, the Savior of the world, our Lord Jesus Christ. Today I looked at my blood blister, my scar that is beginning to heal, and thanked Jesus for this scar reminding me of all the scars, all the pain He took on because of my sin. I pray my heart will never be so hardened as not to realize the scar my sins, even the seemingly tiny ones leave behind, nor all the pain and really big hurt they cause my Jesus.

jbp

Matthew 27:54