Passage Read: Matthew 27-28
Meditation Verse: 27:46
Thought
Almost everyone abandoned Jesus. His mother and some of the other women and John watched nearby, but everyone else had scattered. All the others who came by mocked Him and insulted Him, even the robbers crucified with Him! Even His Father turned away. Yet Jesus was doing exactly what was required by God to fulfill our salvation. He had done nothing wrong and was unjustly condemned, yet He accepted it and endured it. He didn't lose confidence in the midst of what seemed like the ultimate failure. He could have come down from the cross at any moment; He could have destroyed all those mocking Him. But He stayed put and endured until all was complete, until the wrath of God was satisfied. Then He could surrender to death and be done.
Application
How many times will doing as God desires bring me to a point that seems like I'm completely wrong and an utter failure? I'd have to get everything right first! But how many times will serving God lead to almost total rejection? How many believers understand and know the Lord well enough to recognize what God calls right and wrong? Fewer and fewer. How many understand and know what the Lord actually desires and delights in? Fewer and fewer. Jesus warned that the love of many would grow cold in the last days, that we would be given over to a great deception, to distinguish true and false believer. I should not expect a warm welcome from those who hate God, and I shouldn't be discouraged by the rejection of those who think they know God. Rather, I should be prepared to endure the scorn of everyone if I really pursue God and do His will. It won't be easy to remain faithful, to hold fast to His teachings. I'll find myself more and more on the out, even with those who consider themselves believers.