I'd Take Their Place if I Could

Psalm 31:12b, 14-18
I have become like broken pottery...
But I trust in you, Lord;
    I say, “You are my God.”
My times are in your hands;
    deliver me from the hands of my enemies,
    from those who pursue me.
Let your face shine on your servant;
    save me in your unfailing love.

As a wife and mom, I know what it feels like to have my heart become like broken pottery. Shattered in a hundred shards. I'd rather go through the pain and hurt my husband and children struggle with, than watch them suffer. Whether physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual— witnessing the hurt the people I love endure, breaks my heart. I'd take their place if I could.

God's servant David struggled, and lived a life of turmoil even in his dedication to God. At times his heart shattered over the suffering he endured. In the Psalm he broke down and cried out to his Father to deliver him. Whether he deserved it or not, he knew that God loved him unconditionally.

Romans 5:8 says "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Jesus understands our suffering and pain. God gave him the power to take the place of all who sin. Unlike me, who can't take the place of my loved ones, Jesus could and he did. How beautiful is that? Praise God for his unfailing love.