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 … Continue reading He knew what was going to happen
cross
Pandemonium
There are times when everything seems chaotic. Problems everywhere—not only in the world generally, but in your life specifically. Pain, confusion, hardship. It’s pandemonium. The word “pandemonium” literally means “demons everywhere.” That’s very fitting, isn’t it?That must have been what the disciples felt like during Jesus’ trial, torture and crucifixion. Demons everywhere!That’s why it can be … Continue reading Pandemonium
When you finally “get” the cross
In The Pilgrim’s Progress, a character named Christian makes his way to the Celestial City. He would have considered himself “religious,” but doesn’t come to personally experience the significance of the cross until after he has already begun his journey. As he walks along the path, he carries a big “burden” on his back. It … Continue reading When you finally “get” the cross
In Christ you cannot lose
In the previous devotional I talked about providence—that we are upheld and guided by God’s invisible hand. It’s easy to believe in providence when everything is going your way. But what about our moments of personal pain? Consider Jesus and his words on the cross: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” He … Continue reading In Christ you cannot lose
He had mine
A Christian in China was about to be baptized. The pastor asked her a question to ensure that she understood the meaning of the cross: “Did Jesus have any sin?” The answer, of course, was “No.” Hebrews 4:15 says that Jesus “has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.” Since … Continue reading He had mine
No matter the cost
The cross is central to the Christian faith. After all, Jesus says: “whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:27). Clearly, it’s not just about what he did, but about what we do. It’s easy to forget how jarring the cross was (and is). We see it on … Continue reading No matter the cost
A verse we read with one eye closed
I don’t know about you, but when I read the Bible there’s a silent conversation happening in my head. With a lot of stories and verses I’m saying things like ‘Yeah, that’s awesome, that’s good too, oh yup…” But then I run into passages like this one and yup turns into gulp: “If anyone wants … Continue reading A verse we read with one eye closed
