“I will not say much more to you,

For the prince of this world is coming.

He has no hold over me,

But he comes

So that

The world may learn

That I love the Father

And do exactly

What my Father has commanded me,”

~Jesus ~ John 14: 30-31

The enemy came for Jesus

And he was fine with it

Because

this was his opportunity,

in the midst of temptation,

an opportunity,

to reveal

his love

and his unfailing obedience

to His good Father.

 

Adversity

Is our opportunity too,

If we choose to see it that way.

When the enemy

Steals your peace of mind,

Robs your health,

Or the health of your beloved ones,

When he sours your relationships,

Unexpectedly drains your finances,

Haunts your dreams,

Trips you up with temptation,

Blames you for your sin,

Turns your friends against you,

Shrouds you in doubt and uncertainty,

Rallies his troops

To topple your castles

In the sky

Over

And over

Again.

When he preys on your weakness,

Gets a foothold in your thoughts,

And frightens you into submission

To fear and worry.

When the last thing you feel

Is the love of a good Father…

 

He comes that the world may learn

That I love the Father

And do exactly what my Father has commanded me.

 

Can it be said of us?

 

Adversity…our opportunity,

To display

To a tortured, disillusioned world

That Love conquers fear,

That I love a Father worth loving,

Worth obeying,

And these bonds of Love

Are eternal,

They won’t weaken,

Under pressure,

or neglect on my part,

Even when faced with death

Love endures.

 

Can we say

with Joseph,

“You intended to harm me,

but God intended it for good

to accomplish what is now being done,

the saving of many lives.”

 

Obedience,

even when it doesn’t make sense,

like a child obeying a parent,

when the reasons don’t line up

in my finite mind,

and it’s painful,

and I need to lay down

my pride,

my will,

my plans

for my life,

to follow,

trustingly,

the path of submission,

like Jesus.

 

Jesus did exactly what the Father commanded him.

He saved all of humanity from the wrath of judgment by his suffering.

He was separated from God so we would never have to be.

He was sacrificed for our sins

So we can face the judgement seat

Cleared

All because of

Love and obedience,

Through suffering.

“I love the Father and do exactly what he commanded me.”

And the Father wasn’t disengaged from this.

He didn’t sit above the adversity

And make ridiculous, senseless requests.

It was God who was suffering.

That was God who entered into human pain.

That was God who was being tempted by the prince of this world.

By satan,

His old enemy.

God suffered. He gets it. He gets us.

God faced adversity.

He gets it. He gets us.

 

Where do I experience adversity?

The prince of this world,

That unwelcome thief,

Stealing, killing, lying, destroying?

 

Here is my chance.

 

“I love you, Lord.

And I lift my voice,

To worship You,

Oh my soul,

Rejoices.

Take joy my King,

In what you hear,

May it be a sweet,

Sweet sound,

In Your ear.”

 

I pray

That from my love,

my obedience,

in the midst

of suffering,

of adversity,

I pray

They see this…

 

“And we know that in all things

God works for the good

of those who love him,

who have been called

according to his purpose,” ~ Paul ~ Romans 8:28

 

“You intended to harm me,

but God intended it for good

to accomplish what is now being done,

the saving of many lives,” ~Joseph~ Genesis 50:20

 

“I cry out to God Most High,

to God, who vindicates me.

He sends from heaven

And saves me,

Rebuking those who hotly pursue me-

God sends forth his

Love and his

Faithfulness,” ~David ~ Psalm 57:2-3

 

“Father, thank you for hearing me.

 You always hear me,

but I said it out loud

for the sake

of all these people standing here,

so that they will believe

you sent me.”

 Then Jesus shouted,

“Lazarus, come out!” ~ John 11: 41-43

 

 ^“And having disarmed

the powers and authorities,

he made a public spectacle of them,

triumphing over them by the cross,” ~ Paul ~ Colossians 2: 15

 

 

“We can rejoice, too,

when we run into problems and trials,

for we know that they help us

develop endurance.

 And endurance develops

strength of character,

and character strengthens

our confident hope of salvation.

 And this hope will not lead to disappointment.

For we know how dearly God loves us,

because he has given us

the Holy Spirit

to fill our hearts

with his love,” ~ Paul ~ Romans 8: 3-5