Friday of the Passion of the Lord (Good Friday)
We do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses. (Hebrews 4:15)
A whip tears into his flesh. A wooden beam presses against his shoulders. Nails pierce his hands and feet. When we read the Passion, we can’t help but be moved by the physical pain that Jesus endured.
But what about his emotional anguish? Here are some of the emotions Jesus might have experienced:
Dread: In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus knows his time has come. In only a few hours, he will face his enemies and be tortured and killed. Still, dread gives way to surrender, as he tells his Father, “Not my will but yours be done” (Luke 22:42).
Humiliation. A few days before, Jesus had been hailed through the streets as the Son of David. Now he is accused of blasphemy. He is mocked by the soldiers. He is stripped of his clothing. He is crucified between two thieves. Still, humiliation becomes confidence as he suffers silently and with great conviction (Isaiah 53:7).
Abandonment. His friends desert him. On the cross, he even feels that his Father has left him. Yet abandonment gives way to trust: “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit” (Luke 23:46).
Jesus suffered all this out of love for us—for you. Because he suffered, he can sympathize with your pain. You might even be experiencing it now. You could feel dread as you await the results of a medical test. You might feel humiliated because of some mistake you made or sin you committed. You may have been abandoned by a spouse or parent, or maybe a child or sibling won’t talk to you. If you are in pain, tell Jesus about it. He wants to listen to you. Know that he is with you and that he understands because he has experienced it himself.
Jesus’ cross tells us that we do not have a distant, unapproachable God. Rather, our God became human, like us, and has been “tested in every way” (Hebrews 4:15). Today, as you gaze on the cross, let gratitude fill your heart: Jesus will be with you always, through every joy and every heartache. One day, every one of your tears will be wiped away as you share in the glory of his resurrection!
“Jesus, thank you for your sacrifice of love!”
Isaiah 52:13–53:12
Psalm 31:2, 6, 12-13, 15-17, 25
John 18:1–19:42
Daily Marriage Tip for March 30, 2018:
Jesus’s love for us ultimately took the form of sacrificing His life for us on the Cross. What’s the hardest sacrifice you’ve ever made for your beloved? May the memory of this sacrifice unite you more closely to each other and God.