A Love He Could Not Deny

If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me . . . 

Jesus knew the cost of self-denial. He knew what it meant to embrace suffering and torture, to endure torment and ridicule. All undeserved. 

And still, He walked the Via Dolorosa to Calvary’s peak and willingly surrendered every last ounce of Himself to save me. And you.

From His first breath to His last, Jesus denied His rights as the kingly Master of the Universe to become like us so He could help us become like Him. 

He chose to place His Spirit in fragile jars of clay to show us the excellence of His power on full display, to teach us the way to gain is first willingly surrender.  

He who created the universe and called the stars by name entered this world through human womb. Hands that cradled the Milky Way confined themselves to infant’s fists, grasping an unwed mother’s grip as surely as He captured her heart. 

He lived thirty-three years, limiting His immortality to a mortal being so He could live up to His name – Jesus, the Lord is Savior. 

Good Friday was the ultimate portrayal of ultimate betrayal. 

A world turned against its Creator with unrestrained rage. 

The Lord of the universe, put to death by the very occupants He came to deliver. 

What should have caused Him to lash out in anger toward us instead initiated the greatest rescue mission ever known to mankind. 

I’m thankful He chose to deny Himself for me. 

I’m grateful that He came to save the world instead of wreak revenge upon us.

That His heart was set on redemption instead of retaliation.

That Jesus willingly denied Himself. 

Why did You do it, Lord?

Why did You value us so much? 

How could You view my soul as worthy of the horror You endured? 

What future did You see down the road giving You the courage and grace to set Your face like flint toward the cross? 

What kind of love enabled You to become the Author and the Finisher of our faith?

What joy called out to You, strengthening Your resolve to see Your mission through to the end? 

You came and rose above the shame of the cross so we would never have to experience it. 

While I may not understand Your ability to deny Yourself to that extreme, I believe it. 

And I am challenged to walk in it with You as I take up my cross and follow after You. 

May I do so with a strength that comes from the power of Your might in me. 

And the wonder of such mercy.

And with the hope that is mine because of Calvary’s cross and an empty tomb. 

All because of a love You could not deny.

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
– Hebrews 12:1-2

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This post was written in conjunction with https://fiveminutefriday.com/2022/04/14/fmf-writing-prompt-link-up-deny/ Teaming up with an online group of writers who encourage others to share the words God has given them. The gist is to write for five minutes on a one-word prompt, then post your writing and link up with others who do the same — no overthinking, no deep editing, just free-writing in a short amount of time.