I am Forgiven because Jesus Forfeited His Life

Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington D.C.

I joined my 8th grade class at Heritage Christian School on a trip to Washington, D.C. Our tour guide took us to several different locations, but there was one that stood out due to a comment she made. My class clustered around the tour guide in front of The Vietnam Veterans Memorial. I don't remember if she made this comment before or after she explained the Veterans Memorial, but she mentioned she had a son and as a mother she wouldn't sacrifice her son's life for any of us. I remembered feeling rubbed the wrong way when I heard her comment. Today, as I remember the tour guide's statement, I think what bothered me - as an 8th grader - was that my life wasn't as important as her son's. I recognize as an adult with nieces and nephews of my own, I would say the same thing.

Jesus didn't think like the tour guide or me when He was praying in Gethsemane. His Father tasked Him to be the ultimate sacrifice for the world's crime (sin) against the Lord. He knew what was being asked, and, I believe, He had a choice to either accept or reject. Otherwise, why would Jesus fall on His face before His Father and ask for the cup to be passed? If He didn't have a choice, then asking the Father to remove the cup would be pointless. Jesus knew what was at stake if He didn't follow through, He knew the Father's heart, and He chose to forfeit His life despite the physical, mental, and emotional abuse He would experience.

Why? Why would Jesus choose to do His Father's will at the expense of His own life? Simple truth: The Lord loved the world (every human being was and would come); He valued our lives, our soul, and in order to have a personal relationship with us, Jesus had to forfeit His life (John 3:16-21). He chose to forfeit His life for mine, so that when I was born on this earth and grew up to hear about what He did for me, I might choose - too - to believe in Him, receive forgiveness, and have a personal relationship with the Lord.

Thank you, Jesus, for choosing to drink out of the cup, to forfeit Your life for me.

~ ~ ~

Your turn.

Who are you because of Jesus through the letter 'F'?

Matthew 26:36-46 (ESV)

Forgiven - Crowder