Dear Ones:
From a human and natural standpoint, the life of Jesus Christ is a paradox. This is not to say it is a contradiction to how He lived, or to His Words. Perhaps one of the greatest “paradoxes” is found in His joy facing His suffering and sorrow. In Isaiah 53, concerning the personal sacrifice of Christ, we read in verse 11: “He shall SEE the travail of His soul; and be satisfied.” It has been said that the spirit of Christ was crucified long before His body. What is meant by this? When Christ came to earth, after leaving the sinless bliss of heaven, to step into a world where the daily reality was sin and death, He came face to face as the perfect man with the suffering of men. But nowhere would this be known and experienced more than on the cross where He died. The great paradox in this terrible scene is this: “…for the JOY set before Him, He endured the cross.” (Heb. 12:2) S. Crossman wrote a hymn in which is found the following stanza: “They rise and needs will have, My dear Lord made a way; A murderer they save, the Prince of Life they slay, Yet cheerful He to suff’ring goes, that He His foes from thence might free.” What is the hymn writer saying? He is not saying that we should in any way minimize the sufferings of Christ, the depth of which is unfathomable. But, we can begin to grasp something of His hearts desire, will, intent, and resolve, that “…many should come to glory.” He would be the means by which this would occur. In essence, though I am sure He was looking forward to the joy which He knew before the foundation of the world with His Father, there is revealed to us the Eternal Heart of God who is willing to spend, and be spent, and this to the uttermost, so that He might see our joy…that joy of sins forgiven, eternal life known and lived, “…safe and secure from all alarms.”
Terrible suffering…extraordinary joy. How can it be? Only in Christ, and the revelation of the heart of God. Christ would live and die to, … ” to seek and to save that which was lost.” Again, this was not just a desire and hope, but a will, a resolved issue in His heart and mind. No amount of travail (work) and suffering would deter Him from this objective. It was “built” into Him as the perfect man by the Holy Spirit. He could do no other.
How then can we apply these realities to our lives? What is this the great “bent,” leaning of our hearts? Is it, like Christ, to SEE His kingdom come, and His will be done? Is it our desire, will, and hope to see “sheep that are not of this fold” come to Christ? Do we have that same anticipation of joy, even in the face of difficulty and suffering, KNOWING that “…in Thy presence IS fulness of joy.” With the joy of the Lord as our strength today, may we trust the Lord Jesus to fill us with the knowledge of His will, and bring our every faculty under His blessed control, so that His government shall increase in our own hearts, and in the hearts of those around us. THEN we shall know something of the “satisfaction” of His heart…”He shall be satisfied.”
Love, Dad