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Before going to the cross, Jesus prayed. Jesus prayed hard. Jesus prayed earnestly (Matthew 26:36-45; Mark 14:32-42; Luke 22:40-46). Jesus, His soul gravely, overwhelmed with sorrow, prayed three times asking if it was possible for the cup of crucifixion to be taken from Him. Each time He prayed, He submitted to God’s will, His Father’s will, over His own will. (I imagine that in His Spirit, His Divinity, Jesus knew what He had to do, but His humanity was overwhelmed with the reality of the agony and the humiliation of facing persecution from the people He had come to save and of physically being nailed to a cross.)

God denied His One and Only Begotten Son’s request three times. God loved us so much that the possibility of perhaps atoning for our sins in a different way was Denied. Jesus loved us enough to submit to His Father’s redemptive plan (John 15:13). God’s plan of redemption was not for people who deserved to be saved because of how good they had been or would be. No, we did not earn Jesus’s sacrifice. Romans 5:8 (NIV), “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” God so loved this whole world (John 3:16-17). God acted out who He is. God is love (1 John 4:1-10, 16). God, who is holy, loved us enough to allow His Son, who was without sin, to shed His blood exactly as He prescribed to save us from our sins (Romans 3:23), if we would only believe in Him, Jesus Christ, the Savior.

Jesus endured the cross for us all, saving us from the penalty of our sins, the wrath of God; Jesus endured what we deserved. Jesus allowed Himself to be crucified and buried (Matthew 27). However, He was buried only three days as He, on the third day, rose with all power in heaven and on earth for us all (Matthew 28:1-7; 28:18). Even though God, His Father denied His request, Jesus Christ followed through on the redemptive plan for His Father’s glory and for our undeserved, tremendous benefit.

Do you believe in Jesus? I pray that you do; and if you do not, I sincerely pray that you will (Romans 10:9,10) and therefore, receive the sacrificial love of God into your hearts (Romans 6:23). In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

God knew what was on the other side of the cross, our salvation, our restoration, our redemption – for His glory.

Let the redeemed of the LORD rejoice with perpetual thankfulness (Psalm 107:1-2)!