Strength from Thorns

Holy Wednesday

Imagine knowing you were going to die the most brutal death… in only 3 days.

That this Wednesday would be your last Wednesday on earth before you would be publicly beaten, tortured, humiliated, and nailed to a cross.

What would you be doing right now?

How would you spend your time?

Holy Week is a time of reflection, a time to pause and truly consider the sacrifice that was made for you and me.

I sit still and try to imagine what Jesus was feeling knowing everything that was coming. The pain, the betrayal, the suffering but he still chose it. Why? For us.

Would you do that for someone who loved you?

Maybe.

But would you do it for someone who hated you? Someone who doubted you? How about people that you knew would betray you?

Jesus did.

And perhaps the hardest part to comprehend is that He knew everything.

It’s one thing to suffer without knowing.

It’s another thing entirely to walk toward it… fully aware. I simply cannot even imagine.

Most of us would be in panic. I know I would be. We would be searching for another way.

Trying to escape. Trying to save ourselves.

But that’s not what Jesus did. He didn’t come to save Himself. He came to save us.

He was beaten for us. He was mocked for us. He was tortured for us. He sacrificed Himself, for us!

I don’t know if this fully resonates with you, but I encourage you to sit for a few moments and truly imagine it… all of it.

Then think about a time when someone betrayed you. It’s extremely painful.

Jesus knew Judas would betray Him for money, no less.

“What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver. From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand Him over.

Matthew 26:15–16

And still…

Jesus washed his feet. Jesus sat beside him.

Jesus broke bread with him. I can’t imagine knowing those things and still sitting across from that person. But Jesus did.

Because without Judas’ betrayal, there would have been no crucifixion and without the crucifixion, there would have been no resurrection.

The hardest parts of this story served the greatest purpose. That goes for us too.

The heartbreak. The illness. The betrayal. The suffering. None of it is meaningless.

Sometimes the most painful chapters are the ones that lead to resurrection and the only way to get there is to go through it not around it.

But always remember, Friday may be coming…

but Sunday is coming too!!!!