Wounded for me

King Edward VIII is best known as the king who was never crowned. He succeeded to the throne in January 1936, but abdicated later that year. 

It is said that earlier in his life, while Prince of Wales, he arranged to visit a hospital in London where thirty-six of the most badly-injured soldiers from the First World War were being treated. A
doctor met him and escorted him around. The Prince stopped at every bed. He thanked each soldier for his sacrifice and gave a word of encouragement. Then, turning to the doctor, he said: "Doctor! You told me there were thirty-six men: I have only seen thirty in this ·ward. Where are the others ?"

''Your Highness!'', said the doctor, "the others are in such a poor condition that we thought it best to spare you the pain of visiting them". "But doctor, I must see them all, every one." They went into another ward where the Prince saw five men, terribly wounded and disfigured. The Prince was deeply moved and again showed his affection and appreciation for every man there. "But where is the thirty-sixth man?" he asked. "I must see him also."
The doctor, understanding that the Prince was not to be deterred, led him into a side ward in which lay a young man. He was in a dreadful condition - blind, badly scarred and permanently incapacitated. The Prince stooped down and gently touched the young man. He then rose and with tears streaming
down his cheeks, he turned to the doctor and said, "Doctor, wounded for me, wounded for me!"

With the passage of time, the accuracy of this story is difficult to establish, but, if true, how touching! A soldier wounded - and prepared to die - for his King. No wonder the Prince was moved to tears! 

This story is but a faint illustration of another one which is unquestionably true. 

Centuries before the Lord Jesus died on the Cross, the prophet Isaiah described the method and meaning of His death in incredible detail: "But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed" (lsaiah 53:5). 

The Lord Jesus was wounded by men. They whipped His back. They pressed a crown of thorns upon His head. They hammered nails through His hands and feet. What sufferings were His! The
agonies of crucifixion! 

But the Bible teaches that there were deeper sufferings than these! "Christ... bare our sins in His own body on the tree" (1 Peter 2:24) and "Christ... suffered for sins, the just for the unjust" (1 Peter 3:18). The weight of the world's sin came upon Him - and the wrath of God against that sin. The Lord Jesus was thus wounded by God. He faced darkness and distress, distance and death. 

This King was wounded for His subjects. The sinless Son of God took the sinner's place, faced the sinner's sentence and dealt with the sinner's guilt. He died and then rose in triumph from the grave!

A message touching in its terms - no-one has ever loved me like the Lord Jesus! A message significant in its scope - because the Lord Jesus died, my sins can be forgiven. The assurance of Heaven can be known. But, a message personal in its plea - salvation is not automatic. I need to respond individually to His love, His work, His offer. I must come to Him. Call upon Him. Believe in Him. Receive Him by faith as my Saviour and Lord.

If I do, then like the Apostle Paul I will be able to say: "The Son of God... loved me, and gave Himself for me" (Galatians 2:20).

If I do, then like the hymn writer I will be able to sing:

"Wounded for me, wounded for me,

There on the Cross, He was wounded for me;

Gone my transgressions, and now I am free,

All because Jesus was wounded for me"

                  Fraser A Munro