Wish I could take your place

I experienced something recently that any mother can identify with.  My 8 year old was in terrible pain and nothing I did made it better.  She had a horrible toothache and was running a fever.  I was sure she had an infection, and knew I had to take her to the dentist the next day.  Going to the dentist is her biggest fear, and just the mention of it makes her tremble.

She was up all through the night, crying and begging me not to take her to the dentist.  Honestly, I wanted to cry right along with her.  I hate seeing her in pain.  And I hate that she has this fear of going to the dentist. All I want to do is take the pain away from her.  I would do anything to sit in that dentist chair for her, and feel all the pain myself.

As I thought about how awful it is to watch your children go through pain, I began to think of Mary and imagine how she must have felt watching her Son, Jesus, experience the most horrible, terrible pain any human could imagine.  Right before her very eyes.  I wonder if she wanted to take His place on that cross.  I wonder if she knew that He was in fact, taking her place… taking my place.. taking all of our place on that cross.  There He hung, and bled on a tree, taking the pain of our sins away for all eternity. If our Heavenly Father’s grace is sufficient for Mary, surely His grace is sufficient for me.

He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world. 1 John 2:2

My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness  2 Corinthians 12:9

“Take Your Place”

Wide awake in pain
my baby’s up again
If I could take it away
I surely would
But I’ll do what it takes
and I pray for heaven’s sake
that He will give me strength
and make it good.
Cause I
cry a thousand tears
for every single drop
falling down your face
Cause I
wish that it were me
that I could shelter you
and I could take your place
that I could take your place

And when I visualize
the pain in Mary’s eyes
as she watched her Son
bleeding on the tree
Her baby He will be
for all eternity
and a Savior
for all the world to see
and I
cry a thousand tears
for every single drop
falling down your face
and I
wish that it were me
that I could shelter you
and I could take your place
that I could take your place.