With The Crown Of Thorns, You Became A King Forever

Jesus was anointed at Bethany by a woman in preparation of his burial. He predicted his death, and at that point, his soul was deeply troubled. He faced unbelief from the people despite the miraculous signs He had done. He predicted his betrayal by Judas, and denial by Peter. He was going to be arrested and face death in the most humiliated and excruciating painful way.

What He was, is, and will go through is anything but bodily and emotionally painful. He had more legitimate reasons than anyone to say, “No one really understands my pain”. He could stare at the face of pain feeling sorrowful, dejected and hopeless. He could choose to be alone, complain and care about His own pain. But, till the end, He continued loving, remained others centered, and submitted to the Father's will.

He washed his disciples’ feet, doing a task that was regarded as lowly since it was reserved for the lowliest of menial servants at that time. He dipped the piece of bread and offered it to his betrayer, Judas. In that time and custom, when the master dips bread and personally hand to their guest portions of what is before him, the intention was to honor and manifest good will. Jesus was indeed extending love and friendship to the very one who was going to betray Him!

Even when His heart had a cause to remain troubled, He encouraged His disciples instead, saying, “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.” (John 14:6) Even when He couldn’t see the future and had reasons to doubt, He spoke forth in faith that, “A little while, and you will not see Me; and again, a little while, and you will see Me, because I go to the Father.” Also, He declared, “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” His faith remained unshaken in the Father.

In His arrest, He didn’t resist the Father’s will even though everything in Him would have screamed out to do so – to use His divine powers to somehow destroy everyone present and run away (speaking for instance). He healed the High priest servant’s ear even though he was part of the “arrest Jesus” party. Throughout these entire time, He remained steadfast and showed love till the end. His love triumphed over whatever the enemy aimed to plan – and this love is something that the enemy is never able to counterfeit forever!

With a crown of thorns, He became a king forever.

In the face of pain, whether bodily or emotionally, it is easy to humanly react by whining and wallowing in dejection and hopelessness. It is convincing to us that, “no one will ever understand my pain”. The attempts of others trying to relate with us may bring some sort of comfort, or may even seem futile because the level of pain is regarded to us as unbearable. But, take heart. Our Savior, Lord Jesus, our High Priest, understands our pain.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such hostility against himself from sinners, so that you may not grow weary or lose heart. – Hebrews 12:1-3

May we learn to adopt the attitude of Jesus in the face of pain - learning to be loving, remaining others centered, and submissive to the Father's will. Don't allow these good virtues to be lost in the midst of our pain.

Jaeson Ma - Glory Lyrics

This is what I pray 

There's got to be more than what seems to exist 

Cause you were born to go higher 

We were born for adventure 

So dare to dream bigger 

Because If you don't have a passion worth dying for 

You have nothing worth living for 

Don't live for the things of this world 

They are passing away 

But live for the Glory that leads to eternity 

Glory is grace perfected 

And our greatest glory is not in never falling 

But in rising everytime we fall