Day 315: John 16:20 - 18:40

Having grown up in a Christian home, it's sometimes difficult to read the story of the crucifixion through the same eyes as one who isn't familiar with it. If we read about anyone else in history standing firm and allowing himself to be captured, beaten, and ultimately crucified for doing absolutely nothing wrong, we would no doubt take a step back and think about how brave and courageous that person was, and yet when we read about Jesus doing it, it has the tendency to just sound like the average thing that He might do. It is imperative that we as believers remember that though Jesus was 100% God, He was also 100% man and He had to show the same amount of bravery and suffered the same level of pain that you and I would have. Jesus was able to stand firm and allow these things to happen to Him not because He was some super-human that couldn't feel pain, He did it because His love for His people was stronger than any pain that could ever come near Him. And as we learned in previous passages, not only will we be able to do those things, but greater things will we be given power to do! Once God has revealed His love to us and shown us how to really love those that He has called us to, we will have the power to stand up to anything that the devil throws at us because we can take heart in knowing that God will be glorified.

- Father, give me courage in every area of my life. Help me not to shy away from the dangerous encounters that the Devil might throw my way, but help me to face those situations head-on because I know that You have given me strength and You will be glorified in all that I do as long as I keep my focus on You. -