by Ronda Wells
“But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs.” John 19:33 ESV
Years ago, a medical school classmate visited her father in the ICU. On the drive home, she developed sudden, severe, left-sided chest pain. She was only in her late twenties, but she knew the signs of a heart attack.
Close to another hospital, she reached that ER in time. She had suffered a mild heart attack, but not from coronary artery blockage. Her disorder is called Takatsubo Cardiomyopathy, or “broken heart syndrome.”
Truly, you can die from a broken heart, brought on by severe stress or emotion such as grief.
Some forensic specialists have attempted “virtual autopsies” of the death of Jesus Christ. All conclude He died, but their cause of death varies. The typical crucifixion resulted in slow suffocation, which could take days. Per the Gospels, since it was Passover, Jewish leaders asked the Roman crucifixion squad to hasten the death of the three condemned men by breaking their legs.
One forensic analysis wondered if Jesus died from Takatsubo Syndrome. Theologically, it makes sense. Psalm 22:14 is a unique, first-person point of view, from the Messiah on His cross. “My heart is like wax; It is melted withinme.” Regardless how he died, Jesus volunteered to take our condemnation and suffer the death and utter separation from the heart of God, His Father.
In the last six months, two couples I know have made the wrenching decision to donate their son’s organs. One young man had been on life support for after a motorcycle wreck. His accident happened right after his grandmother’s death. When it became clear he would not survive, his parents donated his organs the day before his grandmother’s funeral.
The other, a son of Christian writers, was a phenomenal teenager who simply walked home from a nearby grocery, and got hit by a truck. Both families, in the midst of tragedy, chose life. Multiple people now live a normal life or see again because these parents made a tough, generous choice to donate.
I can’t fathom having to make that decision.
There is One who fully understands their grief, though. One whose heart was broken on a cross. One who holds out His hands to any who come.
Have you reached back?
“Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, He himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death He might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.” Hebrews 2:14-15 ESV.
This article is brought to you by the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association (AWSA).
About the Author: Doctor by day, writer by night, Dr. Ronda Wells is an award-winning author who has written inspirational fiction for over twenty-five years. She has helped numerous other Christian writers with creating authentic medical scenes for their books. A lifelong Hoosier, Ronda is a wife, mother and grandmother who lives in Mooresville, Indiana, and loves to travel. She writes fiction and non-fiction stories that illustrate extraordinary faith among the conflicts of ordinary life. She’s seeking representation for her contemporary inspirational novel, Harvest of Hope. Visit her website to get a free recipe at www.rondawellsbooks.com or connect with her via Linktree at https://linktr.ee/rondawellsbooks.
Join the conversation. Does knowing God understands your grief better than anyone helpful to you?