Father, save me from this hour’? No! This is the very reason I came! Father, bring glory to your name. John 12:27
Lord Jesus, the Hosannas of Palm Sunday quickly died down. Exuberant shouts of praise gave way to focused intensity in your soul. There was no hesitation, just a weighty realization. An overwhelming assignment awaited you at the end of the week—a plan you planned and embraced before the world began (Eph. 1:3-14).
Within days, you would take the judgment we deserve to give us the grace we could never earn. On Calvary you took our sin so that “in Christ” would become our most needed, favorite, and eternal address. Your “bruised heel” (Gen. 3:15) crushed Satan’s head—securing his defeat, evil’s eradication, death’s death, our salvation, and the eternal Day of all things new. Hallelujah, what an exchange—you took our rebellion and gave us your righteousness, Jesus. We praise, bless, and adore you.
By living and dying for us, you have guaranteed the redemption of Abba’s impossible-to-count, beloved family. Children of grace—redeemed from every nation, tribe, people, and language. Daughters and sons of mercy—as numerous as the stars in the sky, sand on beaches, and dust of the earth (Gen. 12-17). Hallelujah, that’s who we are—this is our family… all because you are our Savior.
It was for this purpose you came from eternity into time and space—not to be our exemplary model to model, but our perfect substitute to trust (Isa. 52:13-53:12; Phil. 2:5-11). Jesus, we didn’t need a “second chance”—we needed you and everything you did for us. Hallelujah, the Gospel is true, glorious, and enough. So Very Amen.