Sunday Devotional: Determined to Die

Last week I focused on the image of Jesus being led away to His crucifixion. There’s a moment in the recent film “Man of Steel” where Clark Kent/Kal-El is walking, handcuffed, flanked by guards. It’s laughable—you know he’s only there by his own will.

It struck me how Jesus being led away must have looked much like that to the angels, waiting by just in case He changed His mind.

But He didn’t. He walked the road—stopping just once to tell a group of wailing women not to mourn for Him, but for those who would someday despise their God-given ability to bear and nourish life. This seems an odd aside for someone on His way to die for the redemption of the world.

Then came the actual deed—Jesus being nailed to the cross. Whatever one believes about the shape of the cross, the fact remains, He was fastened to wood by the means of iron spikes.

Unthinkable pain.

Unthinkable means to our salvation.

“If there is any other way We can do this,” He’d begged God the Father, “then please, let it be done.”

What do we think—is there any other way? What of all those people who say God must be a sadist, delighting in the pain of His people, to let them suffer. “It pleased Him to bruise Him,” Scripture says. How in all of heaven and earth can that be the statement of a just and fair God?

To let an innocent Man be falsely accused and ridiculed, beaten and whipped to shreds? For that matter, the Man Himself didn’t even really speak in His own defense.

None of it makes sense unless you know and believe that all of it was part of the Grand Plan. Jesus held His tongue—allowed Himself to be led away—let them nail Him to hard, unyielding wood, because He knew it was the only means to win us redemption.

Unthinkable torture.

Unthinkable determination.

Unthinkable love.

Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” (Luke 23:34, NKJV)