Joyful Expectancy
Digital Art in Procreate

"For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:2b

On the cross, Jesus experienced great physical and emotional suffering. The physical pain was inflicted through hours and hours of abuse at the hands of men. Bodily trauma caused by nails plunged through his hands and feet and open lacerations burning from whips lashed against his flesh with bits of rock and glass on their ends. Not only that, He also had to endure the emotional devastation of becoming the very thing he had at all times resisted with every fiber of his being: the sin of all mankind. As he shouldered our rebellion, wickedness, and pride, the wrath of God came upon him in the form of complete rejection. He cried out to his "Abba" for help but there was only silence. The beloved Son, so lost in agony, formed the words, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Matthew 27:46.

In all of this, He exuded such personal self-restraint, such endurance and devotion, such love and purity of heart. How did he do it? ... Because of the joy set before him.

Jesus knew that if he was faithful to drink this cup completely then he would fulfill all righteousness in the eyes of his Father and would redeem men, women, and children back to himself. He thought of his children desperately lost in their sin and then, in his love, he knew he had to win us back again, even at the cost of his life... What joy, what happiness, what elation he felt when he thought about our redemption. He saw us whole and healthy again, happy and filled with his love, never to be separate from him. Jesus is not angry with us and our sin. He has completely dealt with it and has sat down at the right hand of God. It is forever finished and he is beckoning for us to come back to him. As we put our faith in His holy work on that cross, we are transformed from death to life, from darkness to light, from broken to whole... and then the celebration begins.