Jesus' Plight

“Because He Loves Me”

Jesus didn’t want what was about to happen to him.  In the Garden at Gethsemane he asked his Father to take it away, to keep it from happening.  Jesus knew the pain and torment that was coming.  He knew what the lashes and nail wounds would feel like.  He already knew that one of his closest friends was going to betray him.  But he did it anyway.  He pushed back the fear and the pain and kept walking.  He kept carrying that cross, the heavy burden that was put upon Him to Calvary. 

Why?  Why would he do that?

Why would he carry that burden when he was blameless?  He had no sin.

The answer is simple but extremely hard to comprehend.  The answer is,

Because he loves me.

Not “lov-ed”, in the past tense; but “lov-es”, in the current.  He loves me right now as I type.  He loves me tomorrow, and the day after that, and the day after that, even though I have yet to get there.  He loves me from the beginning of time into eternity.

You see, way back then, over 2000 years ago I was in God’s heart.  I  was present there, with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. He knew me before I was a twinkle in my parents’ eye.

Jesus endured the cross because He loves me and God knew that the only way to save me was to sacrifice His Son.  Talk about pain and torment!  Those of you who are parents will have an inkling of what this may have felt like.  Could you imagine watching one of your kids go through what Jesus did?  Knowing he did nothing to deserve it and, even worse, 

knowing YOU could stop it?

Since I lost my leg 7 years ago, I’ve often asked God, “why?”  Why did He let this happen to me?  Why do I have to carry this cross, this burden of a life without a leg? Why do I have to live with one of the most basic things that makes me happy... to be able to walk and play and run and jump and be free?  I mean, didn't Jesus come to set the captives free?  I didn’t use to feel very free.  I felt trapped... caged.

But I’m sure Jesus felt that too, on the road to Calvary.  He was on a death march, and worst of all... he knew it.  And he knew there was going to be a long time of beatings and whippings and snickering and pain until he would finally say “it is done”, and give himself up to his Father.   

But he endured it, he endured it all... WHY?

because he loves ME. 

So I will endure this pain and suffering because I love him.  I love him because he brought me back from a 5% chance of survival, six months in the hospital and also because he’s given me a new life that is beyond what I could have dared to hope for or dare to dream. (Ephesians 3:20)

One day, I too, will be resurrected and go to live in peace with my heavenly Father.  And the best part?  I will be made whole again!  I will run and skip and dance before the Lord with all the gladness in my soul; with a new body... and a new leg.

God never promised me a life without trouble, without heartache.  But He did promise that He would make ALL things work together for my good (Jeremiah 29:11).  And best of all, he promised that He would NEVER leave me, nor forsake me (Deuteronomy 31:6).

So this past Easter, I praised him for bringing me through the pain and turmoil I experience and sometimes still experience.  And I praised him for my own pain and suffering, because it has brought me closer to him.  This past Easter I was not only reminded of and grateful for His glorious resurrection, but also of the pain he endured to get there.