God has an extremely interesting way of turning things around. The cross for example, was a sign of shame, failure and defeat in the eyes of the Roman Empire; it was reserved for the harshest of capital punishments. Today, most people would probably know the cross as the “symbol for Christianity” or a jewellery piece instead of an instrument of death.
For God to transform that episode of shame, defeat and failure, Jesus had to surrender His will. He prayed, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” Jesus knew that He would indeed rise on the third day, and that was the hope and purpose that He placed before Himself when He went to the cross.
But while we now experience that victory, very few of us can truly appreciate the dynamics behind the price that He paid. Besides the shame and scorn, it was excruciating pain (by the way, the word “excruciating” comes from the Latin word excruciatus which means “to crucify”).
This pain included the flogging of 39 stripes, the journey through Via Dolorosa with a cross on His back and a crown of piercing thorns on His head, the 9-inch Roman nails that pierced three points in Jesus’ body and held up the weight of His entire frame, cutting through sinews, flesh, muscles, and possibly even smaller bones.
It was no walk in the park, but our Lord and Saviour was there, with a relentless commitment to victory. For us who are experiencing what He won more than 2,000 years ago, it is a blessed hope that we can only be thankful for and begin with the surrender of our own will to His.
On this Father’s Day, we also pray for every father in Calvary to be committed to victory, in your lives and family. May your choice to surrender your will to His, be the doorway to a life of victory that He has called you to. Let’s start on this journey together again!