Daily Devotional

We’ve all had some bad days.  Discouraging days.  Days when it seemed like everything went wrong.  Days of sorrow.  Days of regret.  Terrible days when tragedy struck.  But no matter how bad things were, they couldn’t be compared to the suffering that Jesus endured as our Passover Lamb.  

The day Jesus was crucified was the worst day in the history of the world, and the depth of his suffering is inconceivable.  He was betrayed by his own people, abandoned by his own friends, rejected, ridiculed, mocked, spit on, beaten, flogged, and crucified—even though he was innocent and did nothing wrong.

In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus faced the greatest temptation in the history of the world, and the agony was overwhelming.  As he contemplated going to the cross, he confided in his disciples, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death…” (Matthew 26:38).  The turmoil in his soul was so extreme that it felt like it was going to kill him, and he began to sweat drops of blood.  This is a condition that scientists have labeled hematohidrosis.  It can occur during times of great emotional distress when the blood vessels in a person’s sweat glands rupture and burst.  

But why did Jesus agonize to the point of death?  Why did he plead, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me…?”  It wasn’t that Jesus was afraid to die.  Yes, he was human, and the thought of being tortured was dreadful.  But Jesus knew this was his mission, and he was willing to lay down his life.  

The reason Jesus agonized in the garden was because he knew he was about to bear the sin of the world on the cross.  

First of all, how this is possible?  How could the sinless Son of God bear the guilt for sinful mankind?  2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “he who knew no sin became sin for us.”  This is a mystery beyond our comprehension, but the dreadful reality of it mortified Jesus in the garden.  He knew that he was going to bear our sins in his body (1 Peter 2:24), and the thought of it almost killed him.

Second, Jesus knew that he would be forsaken by the Father (Psalm 22:1), and he couldn’t bear this thought either.  When Jesus became our substitute on the cross, the judgment for our sin was poured out on him, and the Father turned his back on the Son.  For the first and only time, the eternal fellowship they enjoyed was interrupted, and there was a rift in their relationship.  This alienation from the Father was so unbearable, so contrary to the fundamental nature of the Son, that the thought of it tempted Jesus to ask for another solution.  Nevertheless, Jesus kept going and embraced the suffering of the cross for us.

As we prepare for passion week, let’s meditate on what Jesus did for us.  And if you have a rotten day on occasion, remember it doesn’t come close to The Worst Day Ever. In light of the suffering Jesus embraced for us, we shouldn’t complain about our troubles.  We have a lot to be thankful for.  

Interested in following along with a past 40 Days for Life devotional?

For more information, visit campusbiblechurch.com/40days

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.