Selfless Example

The fact that Jesus emptied and limited Himself when He came to earth, makes me wonder exactly how much the human part of Him grasped the extent of His imminent suffering.

Jesus eagerly desired to save the world, but as the end drew near, as Jesus talked to His Father in a garden reminiscent of the one where the first Adam hid from His Father, as Jesus prepared to absorb in His sinless body all the sins of the world, all the wrath of His Father… His heart picked up, His hands trembled, blood-red beads of sweat awakened the raw real scent of death; and understandably this foreshadowing nightmare unravelled in Him a chorus of questions like: could there possibly be a plan B? Was this truly the only way? 

Father, if You are willing. Please take this cup from Me…

How much sense could His Father’s death-wish on Him have possibly made in the face of such betrayal, rejection, pain, and abandonment? 

Yet not My will, but Yours be done….

Limited in sight, surely questions plagued Him all the way to grand finale…

My God… My God.  Why have You forsaken Me?

I love Him so deep whenever I think of this; and I think of this often: how our Lord’s leap of love and sheer obedience in His stepping off life’s jagged plank to descend into the blackest pit of night with nothing but simple childlike trust in the changeless nature of His perfect purposeful Father — was all done just for us, His cherished friends.

Oh, Jesus, Oh Jesus…  Such Father-pleasing trust when You couldn’t see. Oh, that I might come even close to Your beautiful, powerful, selfless example… 

Please remind each friend here how their redemption is sure and near. How You never waste pain. How You can always be trusted in the dark. Please remind them that joy comes in the morning… Remind them Your love is stronger than death, and how nothing, absolutely nothing can separate them from Your perfect matchless love. Amen.