ENDURED THE CROSS - Daily Devotional - Monday, February 27, 2012

MONDAY, FEBRUARY, 27, 2012

Hebrews 12:1 “Looking unto Jesus who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross…”

SCRIPTURE READING: HEBREWS 12:1-4

1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. 4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.

REFLECTION:

In reading the Gospel accounts of Christ’s crucifixion, I have often been amazed by their brevity.  Matthew simply writes, “And they crucified him.” (Matthew 27:35).  Mark testifies, “And they crucified him.” (Mark 15:35).  Luke tells us, “And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him.”(Luke 23:33).  John records, “And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha: Where they crucified him…”  (John 19:17-18). 

Attempts by artists and actors to accurately portray the suffering of the Savior on the cross fall woefully short.  Of necessity their depictions are this-worldly. Relying on an artist’s palate, the actor’s talent, the cameraman’s skill, the musician’s ability, or even the imaginative writer’s vocabulary, it is impossible to fully reveal the spiritual dimensions of Calvary.   Too often men have cheapened and concealed the spiritual reality of the sacrifice by their feeble depictions.

But when a holy man, moved by the Holy Ghost, (2 Peter 1:21) tells us that our Messiah “endured the cross,” literally “despising the shame” (not simply ignoring the shame, but purposefully chosing to scorn the shame), and that he did all of that for the “joy that was set before him,” suddenly we see truth that could never be perceived by the naked eye. 

We see a falsely accused, mercilessly tormented, suffering Savior, looking upward and forward to the joy that is the unique possession of all who do the Father’s will.  When the cheers of Palm Sunday turned to the jeers of Good Friday, He did not halt. He prayed: “Father into your hands I commit my spirit.”(Luke 23:46).  This is the Christ we look to.  This is the example we follow.  And the joy of doing God’s will and abiding in His presence forever is the reward we know.

PRAYER: Our Heavenly Father, We come into your presence awed by your power, amazed by your love, and humbled by the sacrifice of your only begotten Son.  We see Jesus, poor, despised, hated, persecuted, blasphemed, mocked, spit upon, cursed, humiliated, hanging on the cross, and we pray, Oh God, help us to follow in His steps, and run with patience the race that is set before us. May the love that compelled our Christ, indwell our hearts. And may we rejoice to take up our cross today, anticipating that glorious someday when we will exchange our cross for a crown.  In the name of Christ our Messiah we pray. Amen.  “Our Father, &c.”