Jesus endured suffering for us

Song of the Day: “Jesus, Draw Me Ever Nearer,” Keith and Kristyn Getty

“The cumulative testimony of the four Gospels is that when Jesus Christ sees the fallenness of the world all about him, his deepest impulse, his most natural instinct, is to move toward that sin and suffering, not away from it.”

Dane Ortlund, Gentle and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers

I don’t know about you, but I tend to avoid the hard stuff. I’m the girl who wants bumpers at the bowling alley, who prefers to drive down to the library instead of walk on a cold day. You might dislike different challenges, but I bet we’re essentially the same. Conflict, challenge, suffering—we’d rather run than dive headlong in. We carry our griefs and sorrows begrudgingly.

The story of Jesus holds our penchant for avoiding troubles in sharp relief. Philippians 2 reminds us that Jesus accepted the limits of a body that was also made of dust. The one who enjoyed Heaven’s perfection left it all to take on skin and bones and move toward, not away from, our suffering. Unafraid of the hard stuff, Jesus visited us with tender mercy and became like us in every way.

“I will be with him in trouble,” today’s psalm assures us. Whatever grief you carry, whatever sorrow burdens your spirit, Jesus is in it with you. He’s not a spectator cheering you on from the sidelines. He has walked the mucky road of suffering before you, and he’ll uphold you each step of the way through the trials you face. With such a promise of companionship, may your heart cry out in desperation and with joy: “Jesus, draw me ever nearer!”