Willing Savior Pt 2

There in the garden, they had Him surrounded. The betrayer did the dirty deed through an intimate kiss. Now they closed ranks to seize Him.

The peaceful garden of Gethsemane broke loose in chaos. Swords flashed, blood flowed, and then His words stop everyone. The words still stop our hearts. 

 Put your sword back. People who live by the sword die by the sword. Surely you realize that if I called on My Father, He would send 12 legions of messengers to rescue Me. But if I were to do that, I would be thwarting the scriptural story, wouldn’t I? And we must allow the story of God’s kingdom to unfold. 

Why did you bring these weapons, these clubs and bats? Did you think I would fight you? That I would try to dodge and escape like a common criminal? You could have arrested Me any day when I was teaching in the temple, but you didn’t.

This scene has come together just so, so that the prophecies in the sacred Scripture could be fulfilled. Matthew 26:52-56 The Voice Bible

Get ready...hold on to your seats! Because this is a powerful life changing truth. Jesus wasn’t forced to die. He could have stopped it. He could have called down armies of angels to clean house. 

He did it willingly. The Almighty God allowed Himself to be betrayed, led away and killed. He was a willing, suffering Savior. Jesus entered my hot mess of a life. He dove deep in my pain and suffering; Felt. it. all.

So this begs the question...if He was willing to suffer and die for me, then how much more is He willing to transform my life? And how willing is He to love me? 

And that is where it gets difficult sometimes. Because to be honest I don’t feel worthy to be loved like that. I am well aware of how unlovely I can be. The enemy of my soul hisses in my ear that I am not worth it. He could never love me. Ugly thoughts harass and torment me. But that’s not the truth is it?

The life changing truth is that we’re not talking about mere human love. This is God’s love. His love isn’t a “soft”, “mushy”, “fickle” kind of love. His love is fiery, passionate, and righteous. 

He never began to love you. He has always loved you. And He will never stop loving you. “I have loved you with an everlasting love.” Jeremiah 31:3 

I think Charles Spurgeon says it so beautifully: 

He loved you without beginning, before years and centuries and millenniums can be counted, your name was on His heart. Eternal thoughts of love have been in God’s bosom towards you. He has loved you without pause. There was never a minute in which He did not love you. Your name once engraved on the palm of His hands has never been erased. Nor will He ever blot it out of the book of life. 

Since you have been in this world He has loved you most patiently. You have often provoked Him. You have rebelled against Him times without number, yet He has never stopped the outflow of His heart towards you. And, blessed be His name, He never will! You are His and you always shall be His. Jesus says, "Because I live, you shall live also." God's love to you is without boundary. He could not love you more, for He loves you like a God—and He never will love you less. All His heart belongs to you. "As the Father has loved Me," says Jesus, "even so have I loved you."

This transforming, powerful love changed my life forever. I don’t understand it. I even question it at times. Nevertheless, He has my heart. This is what you and I were created for. No other will fill our emptiness. 

He’s wooing you now. He’ll never stop drawing you. Even to death’s door He will call to you.