The Proper Pain

To the woman He said:

“I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception;
In pain you shall bring forth children;
Your desire shall be for your husband,
And he shall rule over you.”  Genesis 3:16

No, no, no, we don't like pain. Make it go away, please Lord! From the very beginning of the fall the Lord gave us new pain. The woman got a double helping - pain in childbirth and a husband to rule over her (what a pain!). And ever since those first pains, we have cried to be free of pain. Man gets pain in his work as he toils in the field. The thorns puncture his flesh and he runs to get comfort from his woman, who is pained because her man is in pain. We just have a lot of pain going around from all the way back to just outside of Eden.

Of course, man and woman cannot live this way forever. So, Genesis 3:16 will in the fullness of time give way to John 3:16. God gave His Son to be punctured by the worst of thorns that we might be saved, forever. And from that salvation we have the proper pain - the pain of the knowledge of our own sinfulness. But we don't need to dwell on that pain overmuch. Salvation brings grace, and the grace of God in Christ Jesus brings constant comfort, if we can but turn away from all the pain for a moment and seek His face. In Him we have the sure promise that all of this pain will be brought to its conclusion and His purpose will be served by all things. Yes, even those who don't want to serve Him.

Blessing and honor to the name of our Lord Jesus!
Bucky