The dentist

OK...I'm a dental wimp. I'll just admit it right up front.

Yesterday I was there for three hours...first the cleaning, and then the replacement of an old silver filling that evidently was wearing out.

As the very kind dentist brought the very noisy drill to my face, she told me to raise my left hand at any time if I felt discomfort or wanted her to stop. [I was tempted to raise it immediately, but I resisted] This was after having 4 rounds of needles stuck into my jaw and mouth to numb the back lower left jaw, but before prying my mouth open to get to the culprit...a worn filling in the very farthest tooth.

And so the drilling began. At first it was ok, but then...oh my...I felt it. I'm sure she didn't hit a nerve, but she did hit a non numb spot of some sort. I almost knocked her over with the speed of my left hand being raised. Back came the long needles of anesthesia... I felt every poke , which concerned her as I should have been numb. And so she added a few more shots just to be on the safe side.

As she began the drilling again, I was in a quandry. Of course I wanted to raise my left hand and make her stop. I wanted to close my poor jaw for a few moments just to rest it. But I knew that if I stopped her I was simply prolonging the inevitable. The filling was now half out, and there was no leaving until the job was complete. I was a basket case. Before you write me off as a complete wimp, please know that I delivered a ten pound baby without pain meds. But this was different. This was the dentist. The dentist is worse.

I lived through the ordeal, although my jaw is still aching today. And it took a really long time for my jaw to un-numb...

Today as I've been pondering Good Friday, I thought about the choice involved. Every other person who has ever endured flogging, beating or crucifixion has had no choice in the matter. There was no left hand to be raised for a break in the action. The torture was uncontrollable.

But Christ had options. I've never thought about that before. Not only could he have requested a stop, He could have had ten thousand angels wipe out His enemies and jet Him to heaven. His Godhood made choices possible. His manhood made the torture unbearable. And yet He remained, and submitted to the pain. He realized that salvation could not be provided without His atoning blood.

My dental visit was nothing. I know that. I was in a comfortable chair, with compassionate people, in a sterile environment for a simple procedure.

Christ's ordeal was unspeakable. There was nothing comfortable, nothing compassionate, nothing sterile, nothing simple. And yet He stayed on that cross. For me. For You.

Thank you, dear Savior, for enduring hell on my behalf.