By His Wounds You Have Been Healed

A friend mine once went with a tour group to England, Scotland, and Wales. On the day they rural Scotland my friend was shocked to see a man treating the group of sheep he was leading along a road with such contempt. He was trying to get the sheep to move by yelling at them, hitting them with a stick, and even kicking them. My friend was appalled and expressed his displeasure to the man: "Is that any way for a shepherd to treat his sheep?" With a funny look the man responded with gruff voice: "You think I'm a shepherd? I'm not a shepherd. I'm a butcher. These sheep will be dog food soon."

Christians have a soft place in our heart for shepherds and sheep. There are so many images throughout the Bible that compares people to lost sheep and God to a good shepherd who gathers them in his embrace. Jesus calls himself "the good shepherd" in John 10. Even Christians, like myself, with very little knowledge of rural life can understand the beauty of the metaphor.

The shepherd image is used is a powerful way in 1 Peter. Writing to an oppressed people the author compares the suffering that early Christians faced with the suffering Jesus experienced in his life. Christ's suffering was for a purpose... he suffered for us. Christ's suffering allows us to face our suffering with both courage and hope. "For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in his steps (1 Peter 2:21)."

The type of suffering lifted up in 1 Peter is persecution at the hands of an oppressor. It was dangerous to your health to claim Jesus as your Lord in the first century. But with great courage thousands stood up to the powers and withstood the suffering they encountered, even as some of their brothers and sisters were killed. We are not far removed from such suffering. This past week was the anniversary of Dietrich Bonhoeffer's death on April 9. He was a martyr for the faith, being killed because of his opposition to the Nazi regime and their influence on the church in the 1930's and 40's. But as recently as last Saturday a Syrian Orthodox priest, Faiz Abdel, was killed outside his home in Baghdad. He is already being declared a martyr by his friends.

Persecution is not the only suffering one can face in this life, however. Everyday we know loved ones and friends who have suffered. I found out this past week at a colleague of mine, Larry Griffin, died in the end of March at too young an age. I know too many people who have lost their lives at the hands of the monster we call cancer, including my friend Fran who died just before Easter. I also have been thinking about the many people I know who continue to battle this disease, some traveling across the country to get answers. They all know suffering. They have felt the sting of being a sheep led by a butcher.

But of course the butcher does not win. The butcher's wicked tongue and harsh hands are stopped by the blood of the Lamb. "He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that, free from sins, we might live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed (1 Peter 2:24)."

Three years ago a good friend of mine, Lillian Files, lost her battle with cancer. She was an amazing woman. Soft spoken and frail, but still possessed the strength of 10 bulls, because she simply would not let her cancer take over her faith. She loved God, she loved her church and she was able to see the blessings of every single day. I always think of her when I have some good Yorkshire Pudding with roast beef. But more importantly I think of her when I ponder the power faith has over suffering. The last time I saw her, she was in bed... but not alone. Her 17 year old granddaughter was right there in bed with her. There was no sadness present. Just some giggles, much gratitude, and thick feeling of pure love.

"For you were going astray like sheep, but now you have returned to the shepherd and guardian for your souls (1 Peter 2:25)." Lillian, Fran and so many Children of God have returned to their shepherd and are held tightly in his warm embrace. The Good Shepherd's guidance has the power to give us direction and hope as we live today. No matter what you suffer, know that Christ suffered with you and for you. No matter what you face you can choose to discover the joy and blessings of this day. Allow the Good Shepherd to give you healing and wholeness today. Allow the witness of the saints who have gone before us to point the way to the power of this amazing faith.