“Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.
Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine. Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.” John 12:27-32
Dear Lord Jesus, it’s Tuesday of Holy Week and I’m moved by how troubled and yet peaceful you were as the events of that week began to unfold. There was no doubt in your mind why you came into Jerusalem riding the foal of a donkey, great conflict, but no doubt.
For this very reason you came from eternity into time and space; for this very reason you emptied yourself of your glory by taking the form of a servant-man—the Lord’s Servant; for this very reason the Father spoke thunderous words from heaven for our benefit. In the fullness of time you came, and now at just the right time you would die.
There would be no surprises. You knew what was coming. At the end of the week, you would pay the supreme price that fully guarantees our redemption, and the “drawing” of men and women from every single nation, tribe, people and language—a number as great as the stars in the sky, the sand of the beaches, and the dust of the earth.
In a matter of days you would take the holy wrath of Judgment Day for all who will trust in you. At the end of the week, your “bruised heel” would secure the ultimate crushing and “driving out” of the “prince of this world”—Satan himself. Understandably so, your heart was troubled, greatly troubled, yet fully at peace.
Jesus, as the events of our week now unfold, grant us grace to survey the wonders of your cross, with greater awe, humility and gratitude than ever. In an hour when many in our culture are marginalizing and minimizing, denying and dismissing your cross, may our boasting in your cross grow by all-time exponential proportions.
Love so amazing so divine demands our soul, our life our all. So very Amen, we pray, in the beauty and bounty of your most glorious name.
