To hear this Morning Devotion, please click here — History’s greatest ‘No’
.
.
It screamed off the page to me this morning.
Thank you, God, for the inspiring insight.
Confirming again why reading the Bible repeatedly is so very important, I saw an inferred contrast in Luke 23:35-39 that poignantly yet powerfully affirmed my faith in Jesus Christ.
“They said, ‘He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One”
“If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself”
“Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us”
Three times, Jesus was told to save Himself.
Three times, instead, Jesus gave Himself.
Three times Jesus was tempted to think His #1 lived inside His own skin.
Yet, three times Jesus showed that His #1 lived — and lives — inside the skin of all mankind BUT Him.
It’s important to remember that Jesus didn’t allow Himself to be nailed to the cross just to show mankind how strong His pain threshold was.
Instead, Jesus surrendered to the nails in order to show mankind how strong His love was for every soul ever created.
I’m eternally grateful that Jesus didn’t save Himself from the suffering of Calvary.
For in rejecting that trap of Satan, He gave me the hope of eternal joy in heaven.
Wow.
He gave to save.
We, of course, should be deeply stirred toward the same desire.
We aren’t being asked to surrender our hands and feet to the nails. At least, not yet.
Yet we are tempted in multiple ways at multiple times to follow the advice of the crowd and act as if #1 lives in our skin.
“Save your pride!” the Enemy pleads when you’re struggling with forgiving another.
“Save your financial status among peers!” when you’re under conviction about the command of tithing. he cries.
“Save your social/recreational schedule!” his voice whispers when your congregation issues a call for volunteers.
Hmmmm…….
You know how the list can go on and on. Why? Because, like me, you’ve too often accepted the “I’m #1” to-do list handed you by Satan.
We know better.
And as we follow Christ’s example in Luke 23:35-39, we’ll show better.
Dear friend, strengthen your desire to live for God and others in this life and you’ll strengthen your hope to live with God and His saints forever in the next life.
As always, I love you
Martin
