Heb 12:2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Today while looking at this scripture, I could not help but hear the Lord say look at that word endured.  Endured according to the dictionary means to suffer (something painful or difficult) patiently or to tolerate (someone or something).  That is exactly what Jesus did on the cross, He suffered the most painful, despicable, humiliating and disgusting act ever known to man and He did it patiently.  He also tolerated, the very people that He created, to treat Him like crap and He also tolerated sin, which He abhors, to be placed on Him at the cross.

I had always looked at the late night prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane as Jesus’ toughest moment, having to make a choice to go to the cross.  As amazing as that display of Jesus’ love for each of us, what was even more amazing was His choice to remain on the cross and endure all He did.  What do I mean, weren’t they one and the same?  Well, remember what scripture has to say.  When Peter struck the ear of one of the High Priest’s servants, Jesus lovingly reminds us “…Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?…”  At any moment Jesus could have come down from that cross, crushed every Roman soldier and laughed in the face of each Pharisee & Sadducee.  Yet Jesus stayed on the cross and endured all for us.

Jesus knew what God wanted Him to do and He did it.  Many of us can relate to this, we know what God’s word says and we know what we should do because of that.  Jesus shows us something incredible, a power that we don’t often tap into; you see, even though He could have changed the situation on His own, He endured and trusted that God’s plan was much better for Him and all those He loved.  He had staying power, the ability to stay although His situation was as difficult as it could possibly be.

Often when we go through tough times in life, and rather than trust Jesus to change our circumstances, we step in and make things happen, because we want to ease the pain or stop the suffering.  The problem is when we step in to fix things we leave Jesus out.  Jesus knew that “the joy that was set before Him” was much better than the temporary situation of the cross.  After the cross, His name would be above all names; He would soon be sitting at the right hand of the throne of God and each of us would have the opportunity for eternal life.  Whatever we are going thru, remember this; Jesus knows what is best for you, trust Him to change things and He will.