But Jesus Stayed

Earlier this week I was reading the story of Jesus’ death on the cross to our four year old son. I am loving this preschool Bible entitled The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every story whispers his name by Sally Lloyd-Jones. As I was reading from this Bible, I came across the words “but Jesus stayed.” I have had difficulty this week getting that phrase out of my mind. Here was the Lord who had created the entire world – the entire universe – and He stayed and endured the cross because He loved me - He loved you.

Jesus – who was without sin – let himself be shamed and cursed and flogged and sent to the cross – He gave up His intimate relationship with God the Father while on the cross. He took my punishment for my sin – He took your punishment for your sin. He stayed.

When the Roman soldiers mocked Him and made Him a crown of thorns and put a robe on Him – He stayed. When they whipped him and cursed Him – He stayed. When they nailed Him to the cross, He stayed. He did more than just stay – He said “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing." (Luke 23:34) He could have rescued Himself. He could have called a legion of angels to rescue Him. He could have made it all stop. But He stayed.

What made Him stay? “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16. He stayed. He stayed because His love for you and for me was more than the pain. And the pain was pain that you and I cannot even imagine. And yet, He stayed.

I encourage you right now to praise the Lord Jesus for staying – He did it for you. Here is a song that touches my heart – It’s called “At the Cross” – spend some time right now at the cross – pondering that the Lord Jesus stayed on that cross for you – and give Him glory for the power He has over death. Praise Him this Good Friday.

At the Cross by Hillsong

Verse 1:

Oh Lord You’ve searched me,

You know my way;

Even when I fail You,

I know You love me.

Your holy presence

Surrounding me

In every season,

I know You love me;

I know You love me.

Chorus: 

At the cross I bow my knee

Where Your blood was shed for me,

There’s no greater love than this.

You have overcome the grave

Your glory fills the highest place

What can separate me now?

Verse 2:

You go before me,

You shield my way,

Your hand upholds me;

I know You love me.

Chorus: 

At the cross I bow my knee

Where Your blood was shed for me,

There’s no greater love than this.

You have overcome the grave

Your glory fills the highest place

What can separate me now?

Chorus: 

At the cross I bow my knee

Where Your blood was shed for me,

There’s no greater love than this.

You have overcome the grave

Your glory fills the highest place

What can separate me now?

Bridge: 

You tore-------(torn) the veil 

You made a------(the) way

When You said that it is done x2

Verse 3:

And when the earth fades,

Falls from my eyes,

And You stand before me,

I know You love me;

I know You love me.

Chorus: 

At the cross I bow my knee

Where Your blood was shed for me,

There’s no greater love than this.

You have overcome the grave

Your glory fills the highest place

What can separate me now?

Chorus: 

At the cross I bow my knee

Where Your blood was shed for me,

There’s no greater love than this.

You have overcome the grave

Your glory fills the highest place

What can separate me now?

Bridge: 

You tore-------(torn) the veil 

You made a------(the) way

When You said that it is done x4

Drink Deeply

One area of scripture the Lord has placed heavy on my heart lately is from Jeremiah 17. In this scripture, two types of plants are being compared. One plant is growing in a dessert. The other, by a life giving river.

When looking at the bush in the wasteland, scripture says: This is what the LORD says: "Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the LORD. He will be like a bush in the wastelands; he will not see prosperity when it comes. He will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives.” (Jeremiah 17:5-6).

In contrast to the bush in the desert, scripture paints a different picture of the tree planted by the stream. "But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit." (Jeremiah 17:7-8).

As I have prayed about this scripture, pondered it, and read commentaries, here are some things the Lord has revealed to me:

The tree by the river was planted there. A tree does not plant itself. Praise God that He has called you to be one of His own through Jesus Christ - to be a tree which can drink from the river of His Word and of His Holy Spirit, in times of great rain and in times of drought.

Our world is full of people who are alive, but alive in a dessert (most of them not knowing it’s a desert). These “bushes” are depending on their own strength. They do not appreciate true prosperity when it comes. They are always seeking more because they need the Lord. They are in the parched places of the desert. Yet, praise God for the mercy that He can take those bushes and transplant them beside His life giving river – don’t give up on the bushes in your life!

Those of us who are trees need to be cautious not to act as if we are bushes in a desert – if we fail to drink from the river of God’s Word, we may receive small bouts of water from rain above; however, we will not fully bloom with the fruit God desires to give to us when we drink daily through our roots in God’s Word.

The tree planted by the stream is said to have leaves which are ALWAYS green – even in time of drought – it never fails to bear fruit. As I look out our window and view an orchard in the winter, I see bare branches with no sign of fruit. What if those fruit trees started flowering and bearing fruit in the winter? I bet we’d get a few visitors to look at those trees in amazement. Ladies, God calls us to be like a flowering, then fruitful tree in every season – to be adorned with blossoms which grow to ripe, rich fruit – if we bear that fruit in the “winter” season of our lives, won’t people take notice more readily of our witness for the Lord?! But, in order to do this, we have to soak our roots daily in His word and spend time in fellowship with Him.

As I’ve been learning about fruit growing, I’ve learned that branches need to be pruned and some flowers have to be removed early on in order for the tree to extend its energy to produce larger, appealing fruit. Who wants to pick tiny pears which have lots of peel and not much flesh? God prunes us in order for our fruit to be more appealing – more reflecting of the quality He desires in our lives. It’s not a matter of how many pieces of fruit – it’s the fruit He desires us to have – grand, succulent fruit that will reflect His true glory. Don’t be afraid of His pruning.

I encourage you as you walk each day in 2009 to soak deeply from the river of God. Take time to be in His Word. Take time to pray and to quietly listen to Him. He has planted you by His river. He has given you His Word to be the living water to nourish you. Drink deeply through your roots. He will provide for and produce abundantly more than the world would ever imagine. Don’t live as a bush in the desert – live as that fruitful tree planted by the water – that tree He desires for you to be. Look to Him and you will bear fruit, no matter what the season of your life.