Illuminated

Photo credit: Barney F

It is widely believed that following His final Passover meal before His crucifixion, Jesus headed to the Garden of Gethsemane singing Psalm 118.

I read that psalm in the Amplified version and was captivated by verse 27(a) that says, “The Lord is God, who has shown and given us light (He has illuminated us with grace, freedom, and joy.”

That is one of the most beautiful truths that I have ever heard.

Keep in mind that Jesus was on His way to the cross when He quoted this verse.

YET, He was illuminated with grace, freedom, and joy.

He is willing to do the same for each of His followers. One cannot give what one does not own…and Jesus IS Grace, Freedom, and Joy. His greatest gift to us is—and has always been—Himself.

However, we must be willing to subjugate our transient feelings and own the fact that grace, freedom, and joy are ours for the taking…no matter what we are facing.

The word illuminate means: “to supply or brighten with light; light up; to throw light on a situation; to enlighten, as with knowledge.”

Jesus says, “I AM the Light of the world.”

It is HIS Light that burns inside of your heart, that beams His love to the world around you, that lights up your darkness. His Light can never be extinguished. Even the unimaginable and unparalleled suffering that He was about to experience as He willingly paid the penalty for my sins and for your sins could not suppress it. He kept the joy and despised and scorned the shame.

You can do the same. How? Hebrews 12:2 vigorously declares: “He, for the joy of obtaining the prize that was set before Him, endured the cross, ignoring and despising the shame, and now is seated at the right hand of God.”

As a believer, you have a prize that is set before you. His name is Jesus. Every day of your earthly journey brings you one step closer to seeing His face.

You will never face anything as harrowing as what Jesus faced at the cross. How do I know? Because Jesus was totally and completely abandoned by God the Father when He hung on that cross, paying our penalty. It is impossible for us to fully realize the sheer magnitude of that horror for Jesus.

Yet because of Jesus’ courage and fierce love for us in being obedient to go to that cross,  we will never know our Heavenly Father’s desertion. He is with us always and forever.

Due to that fact, we can endure anything. It is not me saying so; God’s Word says so: “I have strength for all things in Christ who empowers me (I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency.)—Phil. 4:13

That, my friend, is the victorious endurance Jesus has made possible for us.

So,  today as you walk along your path, whether the days are sunny or stormy, whether your heart is singing or breaking: right now, at this very moment, you are illuminated with grace, freedom, and joy from heaven above.

Live in light of that truth today.