SCRIPTURE: For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My [own] life so that I may take it back. No one takes it away from Me, but I lay it down voluntarily. I am authorized and have power to lay it down and to give it up, and I am authorized and have power to take it back. John 10:17-18 AMP
THOUGHT: I’m convinced that Jesus only made it 33 years because of two things: 1) a relatively brief 3-year ministry, and 2) a perfect record of hearing and obeying God. So many times Scripture records things like, “So they tried again to seize Him, but He eluded their grasp (John 10:39),” or “they…led Him to the crest of the hill on which their city had been built, in order to hurl Him down the cliff. But passing [miraculously] through the crowd, He went on His way (Luke 4:29-30).”
He had to listen in order to live long enough to die. Strange.
But God has made Jesus a promise. God has given him the power to lay his life down, and he also has the power to take it back again. So we may at times believe that Jesus was the victim of a crowd of angry religious leaders and their Roman overlords, but it is his plan to die for the sin of the world, and it is a plan he will execute even as he is being executed. And so he answers Pilate at his trial, “You would have no authority over Me at all if it had not been given to you from above (John 19:11 AMP).”
Perfect plan. Perfect unity. Perfect obedience. Perfect power under control. For this reason the Father loves me, Jesus says, and the power to lay life down and take life back again becomes the fulcrum on which history swings.
WATCH: Sunday’s Coming https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tn94B3GHcjY&t=2s
PRAYER: Oh God, I find such promise in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. How he listened to you for his every direction and decision. How you kept him alive from the days of his infancy and the king who sought to kill him until he could get to a Roman cross. Thank you for the promise and the plan. Jesus, thank you for your unity with God, and for your perfect obedience. May we become more perfect listeners too as we follow you, Jesus.
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ABOUT ME:
Blogger Amy Clemens is the author of Walking When You’d Rather Fly: Meditations on Faith After the Fall. In it she explores childhood sexual abuse and how it impacted her faith (or lack thereof) for four decades. You’ll find not only her story, but better yet, the Big Story of God.
Check out Walking When You’d Rather Fly, and learn more about the book and Amy’s other ministries. You will also find her devotional work at Words of Hope.
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