The message on Sabbath brought to my mind an anthem I once sang in a choir. I found the music online and have posted a link below to an audio recording of “When I Think of the Nail Prints,” words and music by Mary Kay Beall.
http://www.hopepublishing.com/media/mp3/aud_2950756.mp3
The words to this piece make you stop and consider our Redeemer’s hands just as we did on Sabbath. Are they the hands of an angry God? We cannot deny that throughout scripture God has exhibited anger or “wrath.” Why is He angry? In many cases, the Lord is reacting to how the children of Israel have been behaving. They are not just sinning against God they are hurting one another, “for the land is filled with crimes of blood, and the city is full of violence” (Ezekiel 7:23). The Lord’s wrath is only made manifest after He has exhausted all other ways of reaching His people. And even in His anger, He desires our good and will do whatever is necessary, even if it seems hard on us, to reconcile us to Him as He is our only means of salvation (Jeremiah 29:11). He is long suffering, slow to anger, and desires to have mercy (Psalm 103:8-14).
So let’s break the lyrics down a little bit.
“When I think of the nail prints in His gentle hands.”
Remember Jesus will bear the scars of those nails for all eternity. And what kind of hands does he have? Are they angry, upset, vengeful? Or rather, are they gentle? His hands were used for healing. He said he came not to condemn the world but to save us (John 3:17).
“When I think of a world gone astray.”
It’s not just you and me. The whole world, everyone since Adam and Eve, has gone astray. Even the most upright figures in the world or in the Bible including Daniel, Enoch, and others have all sinned; we’ve all gone astray. The Creator could have just made a new world and gotten rid of us. But He didn’t, for possibly several reasons, one of which is revealed in the parable of the lost sheep. 99 sheep may be safe, but He still cares for us, the one lost sheep (Luke 15:3-7). We are His children and His love for us is infinite.
“When I think of the cross where He gave up His life, I tremble remembering that day.”
For that one stray sheep, the Creator of the universe GAVE up His life. He said no one takes My life but I lay it down (John 10:18). Who could ever “kill” God?? The thought is beyond comprehension. His great sacrifice, His great love lead the Creator to become the creation. When Jesus came in human form He gave up so much even before His sacrifice on the cross. In my younger days, I had thought that when Jesus went back to heaven that He then just returned to His previous perfect, pre-incarnate, form. But that is NOT true! When we are all with Him in the new earth some people will ask how He received the scars in His hands and He will say in the house of My friends (Zechariah 13:6). And somehow, with His ability to speak everything in infinite love, He’ll be able to answer their question without causing those standing by who know the truth to be ashamed. There’s no way He could wipe the tears from our eyes and yet remind us of our shame. I cannot comprehend how He will speak that in His infinite love but I know He will.
“When I think how He knelt in the garden alone. When I think how a kiss can betray. When I think how they fled. I tremble remembering that day.”
Jesus was not just physically wounded; He was emotionally, mentally, and spiritually wounded by us. We can point fingers at the disciples. They didn’t “watch and pray” with Him in the garden when He desired their support (Mark 14:37-38). Judas, one of His closest disciples, betrayed Him (Mark 14:45). All of His disciples left Him and Peter denied Him (Mark 14:50; Mark 14:66-72). Are we not guilty of the same? Only through a constant and consistent relationship with Jesus would we, through the help of Jesus, be able to do what the Lord has set before us to do and to meet the trials and temptations of this world.
"I tremble to think how He suffered and died, discarded, disowned, in despair. I tremble to think of His voice when he cried, and God did not seem to be there. When I think of a Father who gave up His Son and the debt I can never repay.”
“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46). God only seemed to not be there. Even in our darkest hour God may not seem to be there. But He has promised never to leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). God gave us all that He could. He gave us Himself that we might have hope (John 3:16).
"When I think of the cost of forgiveness and grace I tremble. I tremble remembering that day.”
Why should we tremble remembering what God has done for us? To see the hands of God, the scars of the nails still there. We don’t need to tremble in fear thinking God is simply out to dangle us over hell. No, these scarred hands, these are the hands of a God of love. Tremble before a Love so vast it cannot be comprehended.