Many versions of Christ’s crucifixion exist in many forms to tell the story. One thing that is in all the versions is the torture and suffering inflicted upon Him throughout the many hours He was taken into custody. I won’t go through all the levels of suffering, but rather that He chose to walk the path which led to this. He knew long before this time that this is why He came into this world, also. He willingly went through this.

While gathering somewhere else and His followers giving up hope for a world where Jesus led them, Christ walked this entire road to this end – stumbling, blood, sweat, acceptance, pain, nails, the cross, even to the sword through His side and His last words, “It is done.” and His death. As a human being, He experienced every moment of these things.

“Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” In these words, He speaks of seeing past the material world, past earthly actions and behaviors, and past the cause of His death. In Him was the hope that comes with seeing past the physical world to that which is beyond our own ability to see. His sight was capable of seeing His life continuing in the way that was Truth of who He was and who we are.  Hence how He could ask for their/our forgiveness.

Like His followers, there are so many times and situations where we feel our own loss of hope. Despair, discouragement, sorrow, grief for things lost or never gained, suffering – each of these are things we know and experience. We don’t see what He sees, but we are challenged to look beyond the material experiences – look beyond our material circumstances and our physical situations.

When we find ourselves in these experiences – experiences leading to our lost hope, it is these times – which we all go through – when we are little children, in pain, lost in the dark, and very scared – children in adult bodies still thinking we are adults. “Suffer the little children to come unto me” is His statement to our “adult belief” to let the hurt, lost and scared child self come to Him. Then we can reach up as children must do, to His waist and wrap our arms around Him, holding on with all our strength.

It is these moments with His arms reaching down to us bringing us in, that He gives His most to us – His most love, His most caring, His most comfort, His most acceptance, His most everything – when we let ourselves “come unto Him”.

There are things which He knows, and sometimes we get to learn if we work at it. One of these things is hope. We are all still learning. And as we hold onto His waist with our child-strength, He lets us know, “Remember, I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

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“If we have loving kindness in our hearts, patience in our hearts, humor in our hearts, compassion, mercy and forgiveness in our hearts, and more, then Jesus knows us by name, because then, Christ is in our hearts. ” (The Rainbow Cards, ©, 2014, Jodie Senkyrik)

“God has hope, because God knows of possibilities for success far beyond our own awareness, knowledge and understanding.” (The Rainbow Cards, ©, 2009-2018, Jodie Senkyrik)

“God enjoys saying, “Good try. Keep going, don’t give up, let’s try again.” ” (The Rainbow Cards, ©, 2009-2018, Jodie Senkyrik)