The Best For Last

The Best For Last

These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee.

John 17:1

There are certain overarching patterns which characterize the way in which God works. One of those patterns is that He saves the best for last. Because He does, humiliation precedes exaltation. As a side note, Satan operates in just the reverse pattern.  He offers the best and brightest prizes at the beginning and gives the bitter dregs at the end. In our text for today, Christ prays, ‘Glorify Your Son.’ What exactly would that glorification entail? Within hours, a mob would descend upon the Garden of Gethsemane. They would drag Christ from the garden and subject Him to a series of humiliations, miscarriages of justice and torturing. The next twenty four hours would exhibit all the hatred of depraved humanity against the Only Begotten Son of God. After excruciating abuse and horrific execution, Christ would finally endure the grip of death. It would not be until Sunday morning that His exaltation would begin. Christ’s glorification, to which He refers, must, of necessity, involve His humiliation. His humiliation was an integral part of His Father’s glorification of Him as the Redeemer. All which God has ordained is necessary for Christ to accomplish the grand Purpose of Redemption and for us to receive the full benefit of it. Hence, Christ, facing the humiliations could pray, ‘Glorify Your Son.’

Our Holy and Wise God,
we rejoice in every aspect of Your redemption.
We praise You that we have the glorious testimony that
Jesus paid it all.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning