Endurance

by Rocky Fleming

Day Five

Scripture:  “We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God‘s throne.“  (Hebrews 12:2 NLT)

Thought:  What can we learn from Jesus in the verse above?  How about this:  “Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross.“ Jesus never asks us to endure anything that He did not endure.  However, there are some things that He endured that we will not have to endure, and specifically it would be the cross of Jesus.  Now I’m not speaking of the physical death of Jesus on the cross, for there were other followers of Christ who had to face the same type of death.  But the cross that Jesus took on was not just about a physical death.  It was more.  We have no idea the depth of suffering that Jesus went through on His cross so that you and I will not have to endure or suffer the same.  We can also learn from Jesus that He looked beyond the cross, and this is what got Him through it.  He knew the joy that was waiting for Him beyond the cross, and that is why He endured it.

Application:  What is your cross that you are carrying or asked to carry by the Lord?  Does this cross represent a sickness, a death, a relationship, a job, a time of life, or anything that requires self-sacrifice?  The cross for Jesus required self-sacrifice on His part.  Paul put it quite clearly what his take on the cross was for him:

“My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”  (Galatians 2:20 NLT)

Self is what we place on our cross.  Jesus told His disciples: “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me.”  So what does this have to do with endurance, for that is our subject?  Here it is.  Jesus had to endure His cross until He defeated it.  Likewise we have to endure our cross of self-sacrifice until we defeat the control that our selfish ways have over us.  The particular trials that we endure are the lashes and nails that represent our cross, and they hurt us until they hurt us no more.  When Jesus died on that cross, His pain and suffering was over.  Likewise, when we finally die to our self, and we no longer fight a death struggle with letting it go, then the pain is removed and we are reformed into a dangerous, courageous man or woman who is well equipped for what God has in store.  This is why we endure.  Jesus had the joy of Heaven waiting on Him; therefore, He endured.  We have the joy of a new life waiting for us, and that is why we endure.  That is why Jesus allows our trials, and that is His plan to build our endurance.   Ultimately it is to bless us beyond our understanding.

Response:  What is it that you must place on your cross and crucify?  Let this be a time that you do it now.  You have fought with this thing long enough.  It is now time to let this thing go, and for you to claim the new life Christ has for you.  Endure until you win over this thing.