pramsay posted on September 07, 2006 02:49 1336 views

It was late morning as I walked down the sidewalk. Earlier, a worm had slivered out from among the dew covered blades of grass on to the sidewalk. It wasn’t easy going for him. I doubt if he would have made it to the other side. The hot sun and the dry concrete made it tough sledding for the dew worm. His skin was quickly drying and he was shriveling up. He was so helpless. Maybe you think I should be calling the worm an ‘it.’ That morning I couldn’t help but stoop down and pick up the little worm and gently place him (it) in the shaded grass. Usually I pay very little attention to a worm. But as I walked away, I thought of another scene and tried to blink back the tears.

The suffering Saviour in His humiliation and shame upon the Cross thought about the insignificant worm. Not a dew worm but a small little worm people crushed to death to extract coloring for scarlet dye. Psalm 22 written one thousand years before the Birth of Christ contains 33 distinct prophecies which were fulfilled at Calvary. More than any other Scripture, Psalm 22 reveals the inner feelings of Christ as He hung upon the Cross.

To the chief Musician upon Aijeleth Shahar, A Psalm of David.
My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?
O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.
But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them.
They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded.
But I am a worm, and no man;
a reproach of men, and despised of the people.
All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip,
they shake the head, saying,
He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.

(Psalm 22:1-8)

The worm is a symbol of insignificance, extreme weakness and helplessness. It’s hard to imagine something lower than a worm. Lots of organisms are smaller than a worm – but what is lower than a worm? We walk on them without giving it a second thought. We see them dried up and dead on concrete and think nothing of it. Our Lord Jesus Christ suffered such humiliation and rejection. People mocked Him as they walked past the Cross. He was the object of their hatred and scorn. And He felt the shame. He felt the pain of rejection. Like nails piercing His hands, and thorns piercing His brow, the rejection pierced His tender heart. He was crushed to death for my sake. Crushed by men. Crushed by my sins. Crushed by the wrath and curse of God. Isaiah 53 says that He was wounded for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities. The scarlet dye of His blood has brought about the forgiveness of my sins and clothed me with the garment of salvation.

I AM the Bread of Life. (John 6:35)
I AM the Light of the World. (John 8:12)
I AM the Door of the sheep. (John 10:9)
I AM the Good Shepherd. (John 10:11)
I AM the Resurrection and the Life. (John 11:25
I AM the Way, the Truth, the Life. (John 14:6)
I AM the True Vine. (John 15:1)

I AM A WORM. (Psalm 22:6)

Before you delete this email softly sing a verse of this old hymn:

Alas! And did my Saviour bleed?
And did my Sovereign die?
Would He devote that sacred head
For such a worm as I?

Was it for crimes that I have done
He groaned upon the tree?
Amazing pity! Grace unknown!
And love beyond degree!

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