Friday, March 2, 2012

Now is the Time

Jesus is facing an excruciating death. Being fully man, feeling everything we would feel (Heb 5:7-9) he knew the kind of physical pain he was about to suffer. He had seen crucifixions before. Yet he told his disciples, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and glorify him quickly” (John 13:31-32).

If I were facing such a death, I would be in a panic trying my best to find a way out of it. How could Jesus be so calm about his death? Actually he dreaded what was about to happen. The writer of Hebrews tells us that Jesus agonized over his coming death (Hebrews 5:7).

He could speak of God glorifying him because he knew what would come afterward. He knew because of what he was about to go through we would become his children (Hebrews 12:2).

If you are facing something you fear will destroy you, focus on God being in control of the outcomes in your life (Hebrews 12:2; Ephesians 1:4-5, 11-12). He will not abandon you (John 14:18; Mt 28:20). God will be glorified.