One of the things that has really stuck with me recently is the foreknowledge of Jesus. He knew he would be tortured, abandoned and killed. And yet, he did it anyway.

Why?

Let’s pretend that I’ve had a direct message from God for you. Here it is: “Tomorrow is going to be the most painful day of your life—a pain you’ve never experienced before. Both your mind and your body will be stretched so horrifically that ‘torture’ is the only way to describe it. But, if you want, you can get out of it.”

What would you do? Well, it’s a no-brainer. If we could get out of it, we would.

But what if the message was a little bit different. Here’s the updated message: “Tomorrow is going to be the most painful day of your life—a pain you’ve never experienced before. Both your mind and your body will be stretched so horrifically that ‘torture’ is the only way to describe it. But, if you want, you can get out of it. However, if you go through with it, everyone you love will no longer be under the curse of death; everyone you love will no longer be under the power of Satan; everyone you love can be forgiven and reunited with their Heavenly Father forever. Do you want to go through with it, or not?”

That changes things! In this scenario the pain has a purpose.

Jesus knew what was going to happen. In Mark 10:33-34 (ESV) we learn that Jesus “will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles. And they will mock him and spit on him, and flog him and kill him.”

Jesus knew all that. But he did it anyway. Why? He would rather die physically than to see you die spiritually. This is what true love does. He was willing to give everything so that you could get everything.

On the cross, Jesus was thinking… about you.

Let’s live, love and learn for the glory of a God who gave it all for you.

You. Are. Loved.

Notes: 

-The Up Devotional is published 5 days a week and returns on April 28, 2025.