For The Joy Ahead
Written by Pat Klein
If a seed isn’t buried in the ground and disintegrates, it remains one seed forever. But if it is buried, it gives life to many seeds.
When Jesus knew His time to die was fast approaching, unlike us, He fully understood what He would be going through. He knew his closest friends would run away at the first sign of danger, leaving Him all alone. He knew there’d be extreme pain - the Roman lashing, the large sharp thorns pressed into His scalp, the vicious nails. He knew there’d be the jeering of Pharisees, High Priests, Roman officials, common Roman soldiers - all of whom He was actually far above in importance, authority, and power. He knew the hot sun would beat down as He hung so thirsty on the cross. He knew his dear mother and others would be watching and sobbing, and he’d be powerless to comfort them in those hours - an additional agony.
And there was more. He knew he would carry the terrible weight of guilt, as he took the righteous penalty for every murderer, liar, rapist, thief, abuser, terrorist - every sinner who ever lived. He knew he would actually become filthy sin!
The normal human feelings of dread, fear, wanting to run away - all those feelings grew hour by hour until, as he entered a familiar grove of olive trees, he collapsed, crying out to God. He became drenched with sweat as if in a wrestling match - to the point of sweating blood!
Finally, finally he said to God, “Not my will - but Yours oh God be done. I surrender.”
WHY? WHY WOULD HE SURRENDER TO SUCH UTTER UNDESERVED SUFFERING?
There are some clues. They point to the idea that what brought Jesus, in his humanity, to the point of submission was that he could see past it all to the amazing joy that would result.
“Jesus … who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame…” 1
What could such a joy be?
Remember earlier, as He was comforting his disciples about leaving them, He said, “When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.” 2 And in Hebrews again, Jesus is quoted as speaking of bringing many sons and daughters to glory, and saying, “Here am I, and the children God has given me.” 3
Does it amaze you that Jesus’ understanding that his suffering and shame, his death and resurrection - that all this would result in you and I being with him forever - - that, that thought and the joy it brought him enabled Him to say to his Father, “Not my will, but Thine be done.”
Amazing! Just amazing!
On another very different level, as we consider our challenge to ‘take up our cross and follow him’, to ‘decrease so he may increase’, to give up our ambitions, our thirst for human applause, our me-first desires, as we strive to listen carefully for His leadings, to let God rather than social media mold our minds, and if necessary to face martyrdom for our faith … in short, as we let ourselves die and be buried, can we believe that, like the seed, new life can spring forth?
Could it be that our submission to the Father’s will, in little things and in huge life-altering decisions when they arise, that our willingness to self-sacrifice, will ultimately result in joy when we see lives we’ve influenced (knowingly or not), with us in heaven when we’re gathered home?
Lord, please help me live today in submission to Your will, ‘for the joy that lies ahead ’.
It will be amazing, overwhelming, mind-blowing joy!
1 Hebrews 12:3
2 John 14:3
3 Hebrews 2:13
