JESUS, THE PRICE

Psalms 119:87 They had almost consumed me upon earth; but I forsook not thy precepts.

Jesus is better to us than He was to Himself when He was on earth. Even in extreme human suffering, He always makes a way for us to ‘escape’ that we may be able to bear it (I Corinthians 10:13).

Christian martyrs had that supernatural way of ‘escape’. When Polycarp was being burned at the stake, the flames surrounded him in glory. When young and frail Blandina was ready to die under Roman torture, she encouraged her brethren not to lose faith. Under excruciating torture and death, Christians were smiling and still able to comfort others. As he was grossly and falsely accused, gnashed upon and stoned by his enemies, Stephen was comforted by a vision of His Lord in His glory (Acts 7:55-60).

Jesus on the other hand had to pay the full price in order to fully atone for the sin of mankind. He had to pray the full price because He was the full price. He had to die the lonely God-forsaken death of the sinner, crying and searching for a God that seemed to have forsaken Him (Matthew 27:46).

To not “forsake” His precepts is a way of life. If we easily abandon the instruction of the Lord in these days of small trials and tribulations, what makes us think that in the day when believing in God will incur the curse of the world upon us—even to the denying us our daily necessities— we will be able to keep the faith and not deny Him?

Oh LORD; only your supernatural grace can help us to see you when all is dark; hear you ‘midst hellish shouts; feel you though you seem far; gain you though all seems lost.

Hebrews 11:24-27 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; (25) Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; (26) Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward. (27) By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.