“Give me not up to the will of my adversaries;
for false witnesses have risen against me,
and they breathe out violence.”
– Psalm 27:12
Today of all days, we remember that what David prayed wouldn’t happen to him is exactly what happened to the Son of David. The Messiah, the Christ, the eternal King of Israel, Jesus, ate a final meal with His disciples. He sat down to that meal knowing that one of them would soon betray Him to His death. Jesus entered that meal knowing that shortly afterward, His adversaries would take Him. That they would line up so many false witnesses against Him that they couldn’t get even get the lies sorted out. Jesus knew this night would end in violence followed by condemnation, torture, and excruciating death the next day.
John’s gospel reminds us that Jesus knew what lay before Him, and yet, He loved His followers to the end. To a false trial. To a cross. To a tomb. To glory in Heaven forever. Jesus spent that night in friendship, love, teaching, and prayer precisely so He could accomplish our salvation and begin God’s work to restore all of creation.
It is a marvelous thing to contemplate! A beautiful thing. A sobering thing. A terrible thing. A powerful thing. Take time to think about Jesus. Your Lord. Your Savior. Your God come in the flesh. Waiting for what lay before Him. For your sake and for the glory of His Father in Heaven. Rejoice! Weep! Pray! #FollowJesus