Amazed at the Joy
Hebrews 12:2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
I found myself singing an old hymn this morning - I Stand Amazed. Joy filled my heart as I let myself be amazed at what Jesus did on my behalf so that I could have the joy of His salvation. The words of the hymn spoke truth to my heart and got my eyes fixed on Him. I saw Him in the garden, praying before His arrest, trial and crucifixion - and I found joy. I saw Him being comforted by angels as He sweat drops of blood, knowing the suffering He was about to endure - and I found joy. I saw Him struggling as He carried His cross with the wounds of a beating evident on His back - and I found joy. I saw Him hanging on the cross, forsaken, alone and dying - and I found joy.
This seems very odd to me. For most of my life I have thought that I should be able to find joy in the midst of suffering. But when I ponder Jesus on the cross I don't see that He was joyful while He was there. I see complete and overwhelming suffering. No joy for Him that I can see. So am I supposed to be joyful in the middle of difficulty? And why does the cross bring me joy?
The author of Hebrews says Jesus endured the cross and even scoffed at it because of the joy set before Him! He didn't have joy in the midst of it all - but endured it because of the joy He knew was to come!
What was the joy that gave Him the strength to do that? He knew that soon His suffering would end and He would have accomplished His purpose in coming to this world as man. He knew that soon there would be a way for man to be reconciled to God again. He knew that soon He would be in heaven with His Father. He also knew that because He was suffering there on the cross I would someday know Him and love Him and follow hard after Him. And He knew we would spend eternity together. And He knew that someday I would be joyful in Him. He endured the cross because He knew that when it was finished, there would be joy. Oh, what joy!
I have a precious little friend named Maya who brings me joy. Maya is 4 years old and full of the pleasures of life. She is courageous and curious. And loving and generous. And imaginative and playful. And very deep! This morning while I was singing my hymn and finding joy in the cross, she was telling her mother, "I like looking at the picture of Jesus dying on the cross because it makes me feel special." She hasn't yet made a decision to follow Jesus and yet she understands the true joy of the cross. The joy that gave Jesus the strength to endure the cross was knowing that Maya would one day find joy in Him. She finds joy in Him today because she knows He thinks she is special. I am confident that soon her little heart will explode with joy as she gives herself to Him to find life in Him and eternity with Him as her Lord and Saviour. Oh, what joy the day of her salvation will bring! I will rejoice with all of heaven in the joy of Maya's salvation!!! And our Jesus will once again get to experience the joy that gave Him the strength to endure the cross. Oh, what amazing joy!
And one very amazing and joyful day Maya and I will hold hands and sing together:
I stand amazed in the presence
Of Jesus the Nazarene,
And wonder how He could love me,
A sinner, condemned, unclean.
I found myself singing an old hymn this morning - I Stand Amazed. Joy filled my heart as I let myself be amazed at what Jesus did on my behalf so that I could have the joy of His salvation. The words of the hymn spoke truth to my heart and got my eyes fixed on Him. I saw Him in the garden, praying before His arrest, trial and crucifixion - and I found joy. I saw Him being comforted by angels as He sweat drops of blood, knowing the suffering He was about to endure - and I found joy. I saw Him struggling as He carried His cross with the wounds of a beating evident on His back - and I found joy. I saw Him hanging on the cross, forsaken, alone and dying - and I found joy.
This seems very odd to me. For most of my life I have thought that I should be able to find joy in the midst of suffering. But when I ponder Jesus on the cross I don't see that He was joyful while He was there. I see complete and overwhelming suffering. No joy for Him that I can see. So am I supposed to be joyful in the middle of difficulty? And why does the cross bring me joy?
The author of Hebrews says Jesus endured the cross and even scoffed at it because of the joy set before Him! He didn't have joy in the midst of it all - but endured it because of the joy He knew was to come!
What was the joy that gave Him the strength to do that? He knew that soon His suffering would end and He would have accomplished His purpose in coming to this world as man. He knew that soon there would be a way for man to be reconciled to God again. He knew that soon He would be in heaven with His Father. He also knew that because He was suffering there on the cross I would someday know Him and love Him and follow hard after Him. And He knew we would spend eternity together. And He knew that someday I would be joyful in Him. He endured the cross because He knew that when it was finished, there would be joy. Oh, what joy!
I have a precious little friend named Maya who brings me joy. Maya is 4 years old and full of the pleasures of life. She is courageous and curious. And loving and generous. And imaginative and playful. And very deep! This morning while I was singing my hymn and finding joy in the cross, she was telling her mother, "I like looking at the picture of Jesus dying on the cross because it makes me feel special." She hasn't yet made a decision to follow Jesus and yet she understands the true joy of the cross. The joy that gave Jesus the strength to endure the cross was knowing that Maya would one day find joy in Him. She finds joy in Him today because she knows He thinks she is special. I am confident that soon her little heart will explode with joy as she gives herself to Him to find life in Him and eternity with Him as her Lord and Saviour. Oh, what joy the day of her salvation will bring! I will rejoice with all of heaven in the joy of Maya's salvation!!! And our Jesus will once again get to experience the joy that gave Him the strength to endure the cross. Oh, what amazing joy!
And one very amazing and joyful day Maya and I will hold hands and sing together:
I stand amazed in the presence
Of Jesus the Nazarene,
And wonder how He could love me,
A sinner, condemned, unclean.
O how marvelous! O how wonderful!
And my song shall ever be:
O how marvelous! O how wonderful!
Is my Savior’s love for me!
For me it was in the garden
He prayed: “Not My will, but Thine.”
He had no tears for His own griefs,
But sweat drops of blood for mine.
In pity angels beheld Him,
And came from the world of light
To comfort Him in the sorrows
He bore for my soul that night.
He took my sins and my sorrows,
He made them His very own;
He bore the burden to Calvary,
And suffered and died alone.
When with the ransomed in glory
His face I at last shall see,
’Twill be my joy through the ages
To sing of His love for me.
O how marvelous! O how wonderful!
And my song shall ever be:
O how marvelous! O how wonderful!
Is my Savior’s love for me!
Charles H. Gabriel
©Public Domain
Amy
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