Psalm 23: 4
June 29, 2024
TODAY’S GOSPEL READING – 29 JUNE
June 29, 2024
THE 29th OF JUNE
JESUS ENDURED IMMENSE SUFFERING FOR THE JOY OF OUR SALVATION.
“Yet the Lord was willing to crush Him, causing Him to suffer; if He would give Himself as a guilt offering [an atonement for sin], He shall see His [spiritual] offspring, He shall prolong His days, and the will of the Lord shall succeed and prosper in His hand.” – Isaiah 53:10
Through Isaiah, the Lord tells us that His Son’s sufferings were neither accidental nor merely the result of His persecutors’ wickedness. Instead, the Father was “willing to crush Him” and cause Him to suffer. Jesus willingly accepted this suffering and became a sacrifice for us. He endured the torment of the cross because He focused on the final outcome, as we read in Hebrews 12:2: “Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross…” From Jesus, we learn that by focusing on what God has prepared for us for eternity, we can continue to trust Him to help us overcome life’s trials, no matter how difficult.
Jesus offered Himself once and for all as the perfect sacrifice for humanity’s sins. He endured everything, knowing that by doing so, He was paving the way for our salvation and eternal life with Him. Because of His sacrifice, we can be adopted into God’s family. God’s will is to have “His own chosen people” (1 Peter 2:9) with Him forever. Through Jesus’ actions, people from every nation can be saved and reach heaven, fulfilling the Father’s will.
SUGGESTED PRAYER
Dear Lord Jesus, thank You with all my heart for Your sacrifice and for dying in my place, paying for my sins. Your love for me is immense! Please help me focus on what You have prepared for me for eternity, so I can endure life’s trials victoriously, just as You focused on the joy of our salvation and endured the cross in a human body. All praise and glory to Your holy Name, forever. Amen
