A Suffering Savior

-

 


Scripture: Hebrews 5:7-9 (ESV)

7 In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. 8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. 9 And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him,

Devotion:

            Our church book study group is reading Tim Keller’s book Walking with God through Pain and Suffering right now. The chapter we read for today’s class is about “The Suffering of God.” The chapter got me thinking about the issue of suffering and how it is that God is able to relate to us as we suffer as the Bible promises we will. See John 16:33. Some people claim that it is impossible for God to suffer. The Bible, however, gives us many examples of how God suffered or was grieved in the Hebrew Scriptures. All the way back in Genesis 6:5-6 God is seen as experiencing grief on account of human sin. God’s ultimate suffering would take place on a cross just outside of Jerusalem.

            Jesus came to earth as Immanuel which means God with us. Jesus suffered throughout his life here on earth. He was rejected by his own townspeople. The religious leaders of his day were constantly badgering him about one thing or another. Eventually these same leaders and the people who followed them chanted “Crucify Him” thinking they could get rid of this problematic teacher for good. Jesus endured much torture at the hands of Roman soldiers before he was eventually hung on a cross to die a criminal’s death. But fortunately for us that is not the end of the story.

            That is how God is able to relate to our pain and suffering. Being rejected, tortured, and killed the innocent Son of God suffering for a sinful and rebellious people. Today, when people reject God and determine to live their own way it still grieves God’s heart. God knows what rejection is. No matter how we suffer in this world we know that God suffers along with us. Because God came to be one of us, we know that whatever we suffer God is there with us. God comforts us in way that only He can.

            Our comfort comes from our faith that even in death we cannot be separated from God and his love for us. We know that Jesus was raised from the dead and is now in heaven interceding for us. The final chapters of Revelation explain that at God’s decree there will be a new heaven and a new earth where there will be no more suffering and death. Every tear will be wiped away by Jesus himself. The sin and death that seek to reign over us will be no more. We will be at last a people freed from our chains of slavery to the curse of Adam and Eve and transformed into people of the blessing of God.

Prayer:

            Glorious God, we worship you today because you are a sovereign God and are holy in all your ways. Yet you loved us enough to suffer with us and for us on the cross. We rejoice in the fact that you will return again to make all things new and right. Thank you for loving us so much. Amen.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Welcoming the Unwelcome

-
  Scripture: Luke 7:36-38 (NIV) 36  When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37  A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. 38  As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them, and poured perfume on them. Devotion:             First of all, some warnings to my readers. This post will exceed the 500 words I try to limit my posts. Second, this post will contain content people may find offensive or otherwise unfit for print. Please understand that my purpose is neither to offend nor upset but to provoke thought and, hopefully, respectful dialog.             We will use Luke chapter seven as an aid to interpreting the events that occurred last Thursday at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City. On that da
Read more

Father Forgive Them

-
  Scripture: Luke 23:33-34 (ESV) 33  And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. 34  And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Devotion:             The situation Jesus finds himself in here in today’s scripture is difficult for us to even imagine. A sham trial, no credible accusations of any kind, let alone any deserving of death, and yet here he is. A brilliant Rabbi, a teacher of the people who never led even one person astray from God’s will. This Holy One of God soon to be food for vultures.             This man who had done nothing wrong had no one in all the crowds who would speak up in his defense lest they be next to face the cross. An innocent man hung between two scoundrels. No voice from heaven declaring that this was the man that they were killing was actually the true Son of God. (See Matthew 3:17, Matthew 17:5, John 12:28) No the heaven
Read more

Transgenderism letter

-
  This is a copy of my letter to my senators, representative, and President Biden. January 15, 2024 Dear President Biden, Senators T. Duckworth, R. Durbin, and Representative D. LaHood             I am writing to you because I am concerned about the situation affecting our children and grandchildren, namely transitioning them from one gender to another. This nation must adjust course concerning these “interventions” because they are dangerous, irreversible, and life-changing. Our country should not be permitting these procedures on minor children under any circumstances. We must also make sure that adults who seek this care are given informed consent as to the risks versus benefits of sex reassignment treatments.             There are many drawbacks to gender-affirming care for minors. Besides the loss of any ability to give or receive sexual pleasure and sterility these treatments cause, there are social and psychological effects that we have no way of identifying because these
Read more