“Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe and went up to him again and again, saying, ‘Hail, king of the Jews!’ And they slapped him in the face.”
– John 19:1-3
Having just celebrated Easter, the death and resurrection of our Savior Jesus is fresh on our minds. There’s no better time to remember the long and painful road our Savior endured to get to the cross. After three years of difficult public ministry that were no doubt physically, emotionally and spiritually draining, He was betrayed by one of His own disciples. He was turned over to Roman authorities, who, after pressure from the zealots among His people, agreed to have Him killed. As if the sentence of death by crucifixion wasn’t horrendous enough, He was beaten to the point of being bloody and a crown of thorns was placed on His head. After that, He was forced to carry His cross up a hill, all the while being mocked and spit on. If you can imagine, all of this torture happened before He was actually hung to die. Once He was on the cross, He faced another three hours of excruciating pain! Though we will never know the depth of what Jesus endured, when we are His disciples, there are many twists and turns on the road of our lives. Often, they take us through the valleys of pain, death, and loss. No one knew this more than our Savior. Though He could have died an easy and painless death, He suffered to redeem our pain. There is nothing we endure in this crazy world that He cannot relate to, empathize with, or comfort us through, because He endured the ultimate trial and rose triumphant! Friend, every great story involves pain and requires sacrifice, and yours is no exception. Thankfully, our Lord set the ultimate example. When you are tempted to fall into the worldly trap of believing that life is a bed of roses, remember what Jesus endured, but more importantly, remember what He accomplished! Because He was willing to give it all, He gained everything and has made you an heir of it all. Embrace your journey knowing that your suffering Savior has gone before you to resurrect and redeem your body, soul, and spirit. You are His precious child and He went to the cross for you. Receive this truth and bask in the wonder of His love! |
Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank you for going to the cross for me. Even though I endure trials and hardships, I know that you have redeemed my pain.
Reflection
As you think about your suffering Savior, what strikes you? What can you learn from His sacrifice?
If you’re unable to attend your local church or need some additional weekly inspiration, be sure to tune into Hour of Power every Saturday night at 6:30 p.m. PT on TBN or watch online at hourofpower.org/episode.