And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside, and on the way he said to them, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem. And the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day.” [Matthew 20:17-19 ESV]
Once again Jesus stops along the way to Jerusalem to give a reality check to his disciples.
Can you imagine the disbelief evident on the faces of these who loved him so much?
They have been with the Lord for three years and have watched him do unimaginable things.
They saw him open blind eyes and heard him call Lazarus back to life.
They ate the multiplied fish and bread with the five thousand.
In their wildest imaginations they never dreamed of a crucified ending to His ministry.
What is so impressive is how Jesus set his face towards suffering.
Knowing his horrible fate, he seemed to look past the pain of the cross.
I think that he embraced this thought I shared a few years ago from Joni:
"Trials are not just assaults to be withstood. No, trials are opportunities to be seized!"Jesus inspires me as I read of him walking towards his suffering.
He did not back down from pain but headed straight for it.
He saw his trials as an opportunity to show the world that God is no stranger to pain.
When he forgave those who were inflicting his pain he was giving us each an example.
A model of amazing grace under trial and perseverance in suffering.
He was showing us how to glorify God in when life takes a really bad turn.
You are worthy of my worship Lord Jesus. Help me to glorify you in my trials.
... this devotion is part of the Red Letters series. Click here to read more.
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