For the Joy Set Before Him
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
Just the other day I read Matthew 26:36ff; that truly shows that Jesus was human and God. I am glad that He took the path on our behalf. And that brings joy and amazement to my heart.
Oh wow, love that you pointed out that JOY enabled him to endure the cross. It is so huge! He rejoiced in the finished work before he even started!! Amen!!
Great word! You hit it right on the nail. His eyes were not on the pain, the suffering, the humiliation, the rejection, but were on those that He loved with His very last breath. “Father forgive them.”
Blessings to you!