Laced With Grace

He “…emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant and being made in the likeness of men.”(Philippians 2:7)

When Jesus took on flesh, He chose to empty Himself - to be just like you and me and to live with the resources He has made available to us. He lived in complete obedience to the will of His Father, walking faithfully the path that would ultimately lead to more suffering than anyone has every known.

As we approach Easter, I am riveted by the scenes that played out before His crucifixion. In imagination I see Him in immeasurable agony in the garden, pleading for the cup to pass yet surrendering His will time and time again.

He stands in perfect humility before haughty, self-righteous men and suffers the torment of verbal and physical assault. Cruelly beaten and whipped, He begins the long, grueling journey to Golgotha’s hill. He has yet to face the deepest suffering of all – separation from His Father.

I read these words in scripture and my heart aches, rejoices, and wonders all at once:

“fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Hebrews 12:2

“…for the JOY set before Him…” What could this joy be that would make such suffering endurable? I think of His victorious resurrection – conquering death for all time, His glorious return to heaven, taking His place at the right hand of His Father who loves Him beyond measure. His perfect fulfillment of all the Father had given Him to do.

Surely all of those things brought joy in His suffering. But the thing that makes my heart overflow with love for Him is the understanding that He was thinking of you and me when He chose to follow the plan that had been set in motion before the foundation of the world. He loved us so much He counted it all, all the pain and suffering, as joy. Joy – to offer to anyone who will receive it the priceless gift of eternal life. Joy – to give us a hope and future. Joy – to fill us with His Spirit and give us everything we need for abundant life. He has even made it possible for us to see the joy set before us in the times of our own suffering.

He is our perfect Savior, and one day we shall be like Him:

“Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is.” I John 3:2

Blessings,

Linda

Whenever I read a book, watch a movie or even watch the news I’m always interested in the back story to what I’m reading or viewing. Sometimes if I know the back story it makes everything so much more interesting. So as I read through the first chapter of Jeremiah I began to wonder, was there a back story to this message that God gave Jeremiah?

I came to the conclusion that Jeremiah had come to the point in his life where he had begin to question his very existence. He had probably had a few one sided conversations with God along the lines many of us are familiar with. It probably went something like this.

“Lord it seems like everyone out there has a purpose in life except me, my friends all seem to have it all together. They know what they want to do with their lives and I haven’t a clue. Lord what is my purpose? What is the reason for which I am here? Lord, what is my destiny?”

Jeremiah probably wanted to hear something that would motivate and inspire him. He probably wanted to hear something exciting like,

“Oh Jeremiah don’t you worry all of your dreams are going to come true. You will be successful in everything you do. Jeremiah your future looks bright!”

Who knows that God does not always tell us what we want to hear?

⁴ The word of the LORD came to me, saying,

⁵ “Before I formed you in the womb I knew^[a] you,
before you were born I set you apart;
I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:4-5

God heard Jeremiah’s heart cry and he answered him. God told Jeremiah that he had a plan for him before he was even born. This never fails to humble me. Like Jeremiah we are not here by accident. We may sometimes feel as if life is purposeless however God has a destiny created for each of us. The plan was designed and set in motion before we were even conceived.

⁶“Ah, Sovereign LORD,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am only a child.” Jer 1:6

Strange isn’t it, we go to God with questions. He gives us answers and then we begin to find excuses. Jeremiah’s excuse was I cannot speak for I am a child. Uhmmm, how did God miss that? However God is not interested in our excuses. When God gives us a task he expects us to do our personal best to complete it. Once we do our best God is satisfied and he will do the rest.

⁷ But the LORD said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a child.’
You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you.
⁸ Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,”
declares the LORD. Jeremiah 1:7

God doesn’t ask us to do anything that we cannot accomplish with Him by our side. He was with Jeremiah and He is with us. We don’t have to be afraid or intimidated by those who seem to have it all together. God has given us all of the tools necessary to fulfill our destiny.