I look at what happened in this chapter and it’s really heart-breaking hearing how Jesus was treated here. Thinking about it from the angle of Jesus’ humanity I don’t know how He was not able to defend himself except that he has fully submitted to His Father’s will.  

How many times did Jesus ‘slip away from the crowds’, how many of these accusations weren’t true or were twisted?  I was getting quite emotional reading it, the lies, the twisting of what He had said, and knowing Jesus could easily have defended himself or slipped away, but He was committed so fully to God’s will that He didn’t. I think Jesus was in such a close relationship with His Father that His will and The Father’s were the same, even in His humanity, even knowing the pain he was going to be going through.  He’d asked God to not let this happen, but he was submitted to God’s will when He said “Not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42) - it was happening, so He accepted it. God’s will became His.

I heard a talk which said that Jesus’ last words “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit” should be our first words every day. That is a challenge.  Fully trusting in God, no safety net, no back-up plan - just trusting.  It means not being bitter or angry at the outcome because ultimately, God’s will is good.  It’s good for us, good for Him, good for the rest of humanity.

God’s will is good but His ways are higher and may not look like our ways.  But trusting in Him, commending your spirit/soul/life into His hands is always the best (although probably the hardest) way to go about things.

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Thought:

Spend some time thinking about those things you’re holding onto control of and give them over to God.  It doesn’t mean sit-back and do nothing, but sit-back and listen to what God wants you to do.

Prayer:

“Father, into your hands I commend my life.  Amen”