A Glimpse of Calvary

Bob West

All healing is done by God.
Sometimes he does it instantly (what we call a miracle).
Sometimes he takes longer.
Sometimes he uses someone in the medical profession. Sometimes he doesn't.
He takes care of some things in answer to prayer.
Other things he expects us to take care of ourselves.
My toothache was one of those other things!

The tooth was a large one sitting low in the back on my lower jaw. I had already asked the Lord to heal it so I wouldn't have to go to the dentist.

It got worse.

The local dentist took a look at it and advised me to go to an oral surgeon in Asheville about 45 miles away. The doctor in Asheville wanted to put me to sleep, but I had not come prepared for that. However, I had come prepared to have the tooth taken out without further delay. He said he would not be able to completely numb the area, but promised to make it as easy for me as he could.

In spite of the doctor's preparations, the pain during the lengthy ordeal seemed almost more than I could bear. It was a very difficult extraction. He had to cut the tooth into sections. Even then, each piece wanted to stay right where it was. From time to time he would work the tooth back and forth, trying to dislodge it from the bone. Each time he did this, I felt what seemed like a jolt of electricity painfully pulsating throughout the entire length of my body. But, while cutting the tooth into pieces, each time he drilled through the nerves it hurt even more. Tension tightened every muscle in my body and left them quivering.

Over and over again, I asked the Lord to stop it from hurting, to make the tooth turn loose from the jaw bone, to let it be over with.

I began to wonder, "Where are you, Lord?"
An hour passed.
Then it was over.

Later, as I drove back toward home in Brevard, still somewhat in shock, I thought about the painful experience I had gone through. I thought, "Where were you, Lord, when I needed you?"

Suddenly I saw Jesus on the cross. The nails . . . the thorns . . . the whip lash marks . . . the blood . . . the sun . . . the heat . . . the dryness . . . the broken skin . . . the insects and flies . . . the painful pushing up for each breath of air . . . the humiliation . . . the mockery . . . the rejection . . . the abandonment . . . the loneliness . . . the darkness . . . my sins . . . the sins of all mankind.

And I felt His love more than ever!
Then I heard God saying, "Bob, what you experienced in that dental chair is nothing compared with what your Savior went through for you that day at Calvary!"
I wiped the tears from my face and said, "Yes, Lord. I know."

Top Of Page
Home