Wednesday
Sep162009
Turning the Tables...
Posted on 
Wednesday, September 16, 2009 at 4:01AM
Wednesday, September 16, 2009 at 4:01AM 
Greetings, Friends! Happy Wednesday!
And to those visiting, I say welcome!
I post every Wednesday and my sole purpose is to nourish your soul along the way. Each month I give away a $10.00 gift card to someone who posts on my blog. This month's card comes from Starbucks. Share an insight or a story, bless lots of people, and just maybe, you'll win a jolt of java for you and a friend!
Now on to my topic...
As you can probably tell from last week's post, I've been spending some time in Hebrews 12 recently. To me, it's such a picture of who we are in light of who God is.
Today I want to focus on three simple words in verse 2, which reminds me once again that no power, no insight, no scheme can prevail against the living God! (See Proverbs 21:30).
Here are the three words: scorning its shame...
For clarification purposes, here is the full verse:
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him, endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of God.
Jesus endured horrific suffering, assault, accusation, pain and despair for the JOY set before Him. We were that joy. The very idea of you and me compelled Christ to endure unimaginable pain because for Him, the prize of us, was worth the price He paid. Amazing.
Crucifixion was meant to be horrific and humiliating. The criminal's death on the cross was meant to be a public display of his shame and his deserved suffering. It was the worst kind of death in ways too many to count.
Jesus went there for us.
He submitted himself to the worst kind of suffering, public humiliation, and death. He let people think that He was deserving of such a death. And in that very place, He triumphed.
He blew the doors off of death, He had a face-off with our enemy, grabbed back the keys to the chains that had legal right to hold us captive, He defeated death, took away its sting, and when He finished His work, He sat down next to His Father in Heaven.
He took the shame of the cross and scorned it! He made a public spectacle of the very thing that was supposed to make a public spectacle of Him!
How is the enemy coming against you right now? In what ways do you feel vulnerable, exposed, ashamed, or self-aware?
You can triumph there because Jesus triumphed on the cross.
Everywhere we go and every circumstance we endure, we can do so with victory, with assurance, and with holy confidence. We can know that we will triumph amidst our circumstances and rule in the midst of our enemies because Jesus has secured the victory for us.
In whatever way the devil has come against you, do know that God has made provision to turn those tables and bring victory there. Where once there was confusion, He wants to bring clarity. Where once there was vulnerability, He wants to bring protection and assurance. Where once there was insecurity, He wants to bring identity, boldness, and holy confidence.
Picture it. Imagine those tables turning and rise up in faith! Get your marching orders from the Lord. Stay close to His heart. Do what He says. Humble yourself before and let Him deal with your sin and missteps (because He disciplines those He loves). But know in the midst of it all, you will not be defeated, final victory is secured, because you belong to HIM!
His victory is YOUR victory.
Have a blessed week!
Next issue comes out in October!
Reader Comments (8)
As always, your words strike a cord and seem chosen for the day I read them.
Today, after many years, someone contacted me who wanted to (inexplicably) stir up the past. Mind you, stir up, things that I hadn't thought of in years. Nor would anyone want to (!).
I hung up with her, thinking "Why on earth would this person who has been (by her choosing) long out of my life, call and start bringing up random things I haven't thought of in years. Again, not good memories.
Then, your essay.
Aha! The enemy IS coming against us all, in various ways, again and again.
Thank you for your words! They helped remind me of what was going on and what I had to do!
Thanks again.
Lucia
Sunday morning after, Pastor made a comment to me about why the line took so long (He complimented on beautiful desserts)but all I could think about was the "failure"... until communion. I was communing with the Lord, and asking Him to help me move my mind...when I glanced down at the cup in my hand, He said, "everyone thought that day was a disaster..."Well, He lightened my heart and changed my mind so beautifully with His love and encouragement. I was able to release my "failure" to Him, and trust that my heart-felt prayers of the summer were answered in ways I didn't need to know...
Jesus is so sweet and tender and amazing...I am so humbled by His love. Thanks for listening!Kathy
Welcome! I hope you can stop by again and that your soul is nourished every time! Bless you, sister!
My heart goes out to you! I know just the kind of angst you're referring to and it is a battle to overcome. The enemy amplifies these little things and somehow manages to distort our perspective. But when we magnify the Lord, perspective returns once again. You didn't fail. It was a small thing. I'm sure the day was beautiful and perfect. What is it with us humans and food anyway? :) Bless you, dear.