Week 5, Day 4
Begin with 2 minutes of silence
Scripture : Hebrews 5:5-10
So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”; 6 as he says also in another place, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.”
7 In the days of his flesh, Jesus[a] offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. 8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. 9 And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, 10 being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.
Devotional : Carry On
By Sherry Hawes
God saw in Jesus the qualities of a life worthy to be set apart as High Priest forever and the source of eternal salvation. The life we saw Jesus live was one with incredible focus, intention and profound purpose as the Son of God on earth, declaring God’s authority, turning hearts to Himself and setting us free from the wages of sin and death. Yet, as verse 8 says even though Jesus was God’s Son and he lived with such purpose and authority, “he learned obedience from the things he suffered.”
In my own life I have come to see suffering as a gauge that reveals where my hope truly lies. When life is smooth sailing it is easy to see it as a reward for all your hard work, a reward for a godly life. But, when you read the Bible, you find it is full of stories of godly people suffering. Mary, the mother of Jesus, had to watch her son be condemned to death, brutally beaten and murdered. Almost every one of the disciples were hunted down and killed. Our own Savior, who lived a godly and holy life like no other, says to his disciples in Gethsamane, “my soul is crushed with grief to the point of death” (Matt. 26:38) and even cries out “My Father! If it’s possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me”(Matt 26:39a).
Unfortunately, grief and suffering in life are not reserved as punishment for the wicked alone. It comes to us all, godly and ungodly alike. (Yes, sin does sometimes lead to grief and suffering for the guilty one, but it also sometimes brings a short-term reward! Either way, make no mistake, sins natural consequences will eventually work themselves out - in life or after the individual leaves this earth.) Jesus himself said, “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world” (John 16.33).
Jesus made it clear that God does not erase our problems our pain or our suffering. But he also made it clear that they are not the end. He has overcome them and he is with you. He will empower you to carry on and in the carrying on you will grow. Just as Jesus learned obedience from suffering, so can you.
I have learned to lay down my fears, my selfish hopes and dreams. I have learned to say: it is all about You, God. It is all about You, it is all for You and it is all to You. It is not about me. Be inspired by the life Jesus lived. Be empowered by how He suffered. Jesus walked straight into the suffering and he spoke some of the most profound words in the bible “Yet I want your will to be done, not mine” (Matt 26:39b) In my suffering I recognize how powerless I am and I choose to press in to God. I choose to be silent before Him and listen and then obey. In obeying, God meets me and led me to a place of hope.
Suffering is a gauge that shows us where our hope truly lies. When troubles come, when suffering comes, it forces us to see what our foundation is truly built upon.
Question to Consider:
What is your “go-to” when things get heavy? When you suffer and are in pain, what do you fall back on? “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.” (Matt 7:24-25). It does not say no storms will come, it says the house will not fall. Trials, sorrows, suffering will come, what will your life be built upon?
Prayer:
Dear God thank you for willingly pouring your life out for me. I thank you for enduring the scorn and shame and pain of this world for me. I thank you for being my hope and for giving me breath and life. God help me to learn obedience from the things I suffer here. May my life bring glory and honor to you with how I live. Amen
End with 2 minutes of silence