But sometimes I forget about God’s love. It’s not that I forget necessarily, but I don’t focus on it. I focus on Christ, and I should. But I neglect all that God went through that day, and I should never, ever forget.
Think back with me to the garden of Gethsemane. Jesus is praying to His Father – to the One He has been in heaven with since forever – and He is asking a question. Here’s what the writer of Hebrews was inspired to say about that moment:
who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.
Here, we see not only that Jesus was praying, but that He was crying out and moved to tears. From Dr. Luke’s account, we know He was so severely under distress He was sweating drops of blood. And then the verse points me where I need to be: God was able.
We know, when we think about it, that God is able…period. God is able. But in this context, we see that God was able to save Jesus. In other words, God was able to say yes. God had the power to say yes, Son, I will remove this cup. You are more important to Me than these We created. But that isn’t what He said.
God said no. To Jesus. WHY?!
Go find a mirror. Stare hard and long into it and you’ll see why. God was able to deliver Jesus from unthinkable, unfathomable pain and suffering, but He said no for you. For me.
There are days when we feel sad. When we feel down and discouraged. There are days when we look in the mirror and don’t like how many pounds we’ve put on, or where the blemish is, or how our hair looks. There are days when we feel unloved and let down and lonely. In those days, praise God. Praise Him for thinking of you ABOVE Jesus Christ Himself.
You are worthy. You are beautiful. You are precious. This verse alone tells you so.
