Tough Day?

²¹ From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. Matthew 16:21 (ESV)

Have you ever dreaded starting a day? Maybe there has been tragedy in your life and during the midst of the difficult time you just did not want to get out of bed on a particular day. We do not have to have the ability of divine foreknowledge to reflect on times in our past where we thought we could not get through a day or a week or a particular time in our life. Maybe it was death or divorce or surgery or cancer or even child birth and you would have just liked to skip that portion of your life.

I would not be bold enough or silly enough to say that Jesus dreaded what was going to take place at Calvary. However, though He was 100% God He was also 100% human. I can not image what went through His mind knowing even more than He told His disciples prior to what was going to take place in just a few days. Mel Gibson’s movie helped me to understand more of what I had read in Scripture time and time again but even the best filmmakers could not show what our Lord went through. Has the thought ever entered your mind, what we would I have done?

The amazing love that it took for any person to do what Jesus, the Son of God, did for us is beyond comprehension. He even had the discouragement of the disciples as they heard Him speak different times about going to Jerusalem that it wasn’t safe. Yet Jesus knew and was driven by love for you to complete this tough day.

I’m so thankful the story doesn’t end here. Tough days, even in our limited perspective, are hard to get through. Truly love drove Jesus to Jerusalem to face physical, emotional and spiritual torment on our behalf. There was also something else driving Him. Jesus told the people during His ministry “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10b). He had a purpose and a goal in mind. The completion of the task, the victory of the battle was another driving force. To complete what He was sent to do, to finalize the mission given by the Father, God Almighty and to win to Himself people that would believe in Him as Lord and Savior. Wow! Now that’s my Jesus! He is the perfect example of enduring the tough days.

The hope and vision of the Resurrection is what gives us a hope like to other. What Jesus did on Calvary is mind blowing but oh the completion! The tough day was turned into a glorious day! When our Savior, our Redeemer broke the bonds of death, hell and the grave and by His resurrection set us free. We can get through tough days because Jesus got through the ultimate tough day. We can excel when everything seems like it is falling apart if we reflect on the truth that the Son of God provided for His own.  

Lord Jesus forgive us when we whine. You set the ultimate example and have given more than we can ever know in this life. Blessed be Your Name. Amen.