Gave

God’s unconditional love means that I can do nothing to make him love me more; there is nothing I can do to make him love me less.

God is the One who helps us. He is our Redeemer.

Jesus felt sin’s entire power, its total force. He was tempted but never gave in.

He, who was tempted fully, without sin, will give us all the mercy and grace we need to resist sin as well.

Death followed Jesus throughout his life. From the moment of his birth, those in authority were trying to kill him. And finally, they did. But not as a helpless victim; Jesus voluntarily gave himself up for us on the cross.  He died in my place. He died so that I could live. Have you surrendered to the King? Or, like Herod, are you still trying to keep him out of your life?

Jesus’ question to the Father was a deep cry of His unfathomable love for us.  Even when He felt forsaken by the Father, even when He didn’t know how much longer He could hold on, even when the pain was unimaginable, Jesus never gave up. He never gave in. Jesus paid for sin in its deepest and fullest penalty for you and me.

But, remember, every movement leading to the cross was fulfilling Scripture. Jesus came to give His life as a ransom for us. Nothing took place outside of God’s sovereign plan.