Royal Resolve

Like you, I’m spending this week thinking a great deal about all that Jesus suffered, all that He endured on our behalf. My mind keeps dwelling on that scene in the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus fell to His knees and prayed — He earnestly asked His Father to spare Him the cup of wrath that awaited Him at the cross. Having laid that burden down, Jesus then rose to His feet. Moments later when the soldiers came to arrest Him, Peter went on the attack. But in John 18:11, “Jesus commanded Peter, ‘Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?’”

Now stop and think about that for a moment – here, we see Jesus no longer hoping to avoid the cross, but instead, embracing it. And He did so with royal resolve. On this Easter week, remember that your Savior went to the cross with a complete devotion to obey His Father, and that is such a powerful example to us as we daily take up our cross. First Peter 2:21 says, “To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.” Like Jesus, may we face our trials with royal resolve. May we take up our cross with the same majestic dignity – an enabling grace only made possible by Jesus and His absolute obedience to the Father.