One Easter season it occurred to me how Jesus Christ, while on this earth, experienced all the same basic human emotions and feelings as you and me! Yes, He is divine, being God’s Son, but He also came to this earth as a human. Have you really let the power and specialness of that sink in? To know that Jesus truly understands the different human emotions that we, too, experience?
The shortest verse in the Bible is “Jesus wept.” (John 11:35) Jesus wept when He found out that His friend Lazarus died. Some people say Jesus wept because He loved Lazarus so much; others say it was because Jesus knew that some of the people gathered around still would not believe He was the Messiah, even after Lazarus’ resurrection. Either way, in our humanity, we weep when our loved one dies, when our loved one isn’t following Christ, or when someone dear to us makes choices that take them down a “wrong” path.
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Did you ever stop to think how Jesus, the Messiah and King, was mocked and laughed at while on this earth? Satan tempted and mocked Jesus in the desert for 40 days and 40 nights. Jesus was always empowered to return Satan’s temptations with Scripture. Many people mocked and laughed at Jesus when he was hanging on the cross for you and me! I think Jesus’ heart must have been very heavy and saddened listening to the people mock and laugh at Him. Many of the people in Jesus’ hometown did not even believe what Jesus was preaching. Sometimes, people mock us and laugh at us when we stand up for our beliefs or our faith, or when we step out to share God’s love.
Often times when trials come our way, we pray to God that they may pass us by—just like the prayer that Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane before He was arrested. Ultimately, Jesus knew He was sent to earth for that very moment to set us free. In our trials, hopefully, before long, we, too, can say, “God, let Your will be done.”
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Do you ever feel that God has forsaken you? There was only one moment in Jesus’ life when He felt abandoned like that—that was the moment when Jesus, hanging from the cross, took on all the sins of the world. God promises to always be there—it’s we and our sin that turn away from Him. Hanging on that cross, Jesus gave up His spirit peacefully because He knew He came to do God’s will. He knew He was called by God, led by God, and empowered by God to sacrifice Himself to set all of us free from our sin!
Jesus also left us with a great example of loving one another. All along Jesus knew that Judas would be the one to betray Him, yet He had no bad feelings toward Judas. Jesus still loved him—and, that is the love we are called to have for one another.
This Easter season may you take time to reflect on Jesus’ humanity and how He can relate to our emotions and feelings. He understands and wants us to know we can rely on God to help us on this journey. I pray you have a blessed Easter celebrating the Risen Christ and living out the empowerment we have in Him!
Since the children have flesh and blood, He too shared in their humanity so that by His death He might destroy him who holds the power of death–that is, the devil. –Hebrews 2:14
Hey! Great post, Christine! It’s so important that we understand that Christ experienced humanity from a first hand perspective. Who better, then, to be our ultimate intercessor (Romans 8:34)?
I’ve recently been reflecting on Jehovah Jireh. Isn’t it so cool that the Lord who provides provided the ultimate sacrifice to make us right with Him. He loves us and wants us to be right with Him so much that He took the first step. He provided the way. And not just did He provide a way, but He went to great lengths to connect with us on a deeply personal level by experiencing life as we experience it.
Thanks for reading and sharing your insights and great truths, Colin! Yes, I think it adds a whole new dimension to things when we really understand how Jesus entered into our humanity. I’m so thankful He has provided the way for us and understands us in our humanity!
Hi Christine! This is excellent! I find great comfort in knowing that I will never go anywhere emotionally where Jesus has not been. Thanks so much for sharing such a wonderful truth.
Thanks for your encouragement, Jenny! Yes, it is so wonderful to know that Jesus has been there emotionally and is there with us too!
We are so highly favored that our God needs not be chased by us, but He’s the one going after us. Imagine sacrificing your majesty and glory to experience the pain and suffering for your beloved. How amazing!
Happy Easter!
You are so right, Lux! At a Good Friday service I attended, that was brought up….Can you imagine the emotional anguish God went through watching His only Son die for us? WOW..what LOVE! God bless!
What an empowering message! How blessed we are to have a God who loves us this much! Hope you had a nice Easter! #bloggercaregroup
Thanks for your kind words, Kelly! Yes, we truly are so blessed that God provided a salvation plan for us all!
Yes Oh I am so thankful He is both human and God otherwise He would not have taken my place. If only others were not taken up with Easter as another decorative seasonal time and learned the true meaning of it.
Yes, Sandra! I am so thankful too. Thanks for reading and commenting. God bless!
I love that He is fully human and yet, He is fully God – our Savior! @spreadingJOY
Marie
Indeed, Marie! Thanks for reading. God bless you!
I have definitely had seasons where I felt abandoned as Jesus did. This is such a great reminder of Jesus the real, living and breathing man. Love this post!
Thanks for reading and for your encouraging words, Sam. It is great to know that Jesus experienced the same emotions and feelings as we did, even the feeling of abandonment…and all for our salvation! God bless.
Hi Christine, Thanks as always for your inspirational words. As always very insightful. Best wishes for you and your family for a happy Easter
Thanks for reading, sharing, and encouraging, Sandy! Wishing you all a Happy and Blessed Easter as well!
God loved us with the greatest of love. Not withholding His one and only Son for our salvation. Thank you so much for writing this, we hardly get to think about the fact that Jesus experienced everything that we experience as humans. This is really an insightful post. God bless you.
Thanks for reading and sharing, Lawrence! Yes, God has the greatest love for us, and provided His only Son for our salvation! What an awesome God. Blessings to you.
I love this! to think that Jesus even cares about me is mind blowing. thanks for the encouragement!
Thanks for reading and blessing, Marie!