“But even though He was God's Son, He learned through His sufferings to be obedient.” (Hebrew 5:8)
This is such a hard Scripture to learn about. We don’t want to hear about suffering, especially if somehow, we will have to suffer. We don’t like suffering. And when it touches us, we just want to escape it. We are such babies (I’m talking about myself.) But in those times, we have to look at Jesus. Jesus didn’t try to escape His suffering here on earth. He embraced it because He learned through His sufferings all the way to the Cross in obedience.
He was God the Son, the Divine and Holy One Who had been with the Father at the creation of earth and all things. “For through Him God created everything in heaven and on earth, the seen and the unseen things, including spiritual powers, lords, rulers, and authorities. God created the whole universe through Him and for Him.” (Colossians 1:16) He was glorious in heaven, surrounded by angels singing praises to Him. And yet it was necessary for Him to suffer. John Gil, the Bible commentator stated that Jesus suffered, “from men, from devils, and from the justice of God. Christ's sonship did not exempt Him from obedience and sufferings; this shows the dignity of Christ's person, that He is the Son of God, not as Mediator, for as such He is a servant; and it would be no wonder that He should learn obedience as a servant; and this shows also the great humility and condescension of Christ in obeying and suffering for us;” The magnitude of what He actually did hits us between the eyes. Who are we then to run, hide, cry and plead for ease? Wow... I could just stop here because there is so much on which to meditate.
It raises the question then. How are we to address suffering that comes our way? That only raises more questions because some suffering is of our own making and are consequences for wrong decisions, acts or words. When we break God’s commandments, we open the door for God’s enemy and the enemy of all creation to come in and wreak havoc in our lives. So, all other suffering is from the enemy, but it’s filtered by the Lord Who uses our suffering for His purposes and for our good. You may question that except for the suffering we cause ourselves, all other suffering is from the devil. But it’s true because God placed all His wrath on Jesus at the Cross. There is no more wrath or punishment coming from the Father.
So, the question remains. How are we to address suffering? The first thing we must determine is whether we opened the door for the enemy to bring his work of darkness into our lives. Were we disobedient? Did we make the wrong choices? You will find that at your most faithful times with the Lord, something will happen. I’ve heard a couple of people notice that and say they are fearful of drawing near to God because something bad happens. If that is true, God is allowing that affliction from the enemy to come into your life to teach you, to strengthen you and to mature you. So go to the Word of God, the Bible and learn from God. Get in your prayer closet and cry out to the Lord and like Jesus pray, “Let this cup pass from me, but not my will but Your Will be done.” (Matthew 26:39) We find that when we submit to God, the devil flees. “So then, submit yourselves to God. Resist the Devil, and he will run away from you.” (James 4:7)
Our Scripture in Hebrews tells us that Jesus learned from His suffering. Jesus learned obedience through His sufferings. That obedience took Him to the Cross. We can learn obedience. And it will be to the cross. It’s to that cross Jesus told us to pick up. “Those who do not take up their cross and follow in My steps are not fit to be My disciples. Those who try to gain their own life will lose it; but those who lose their life for My sake will gain it.” (Matthew 10:38-39) And there it is. It all leads to our love, for life on this earth or love for the Lord. Do we truly mean what we say about our love and devotion to the Lord? Do we walk the talk or are we merely just all talk? It comes down to that.
I thank the Holy Spirit for teaching us this lesson. It’s powerful. And it’s something on which I will be meditating.
Comments