Our Non-Spontaneous Lord

We tend to spiritualize spontaneity. Something done on the spur-of-the-moment is labeled as being led by the Spirit. Too often, this is simply an excuse for our lack of planning or our lack of preparation.

As we approach our celebration of the cross and the empty tomb, it is a good time to be reminded that the Lord has never done anything spontaneously. Additionally, the Lord has never had anything catch Him by surprise. The Cross is a shining example of God's pre-arranged, sovereign will coming to fruition exactly as He has planned.

First, God takes great care to inform us in the Old Testament that Jesus would become a man and the He would die on the cross:

"Surely, He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows,

yet we considered Him stricken by God, smitten by Him, and afflicted.

But He was pierced for our transgressions,

He was crushed for our iniquities;

the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him,

and by His wounds we are healed.

We all, like sheep, have gone astray,

each of us has turned to his own way;

and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquoty of us all."

Isaiah 53:4-6

Second, the Lord reminds us that Satan was not acting independently when he conspired to have Jesus crucified. Rather, Satan was God's pawn doing exactly what God had pre-determined would happen:

"Indeed Herod and Pontus Pilate met together with the Gentiles

and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against

Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed.

They did what Your (God's) power

and will had decided beforehand should happen."

Acts 4:27-28

The Easter season is an appropriate time for every follower of Christ to be reminded to lift our eyes above our circumstances, our struggles and our uncetainties. Instead, we fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, Who, for the joy set before Him, endured the cross, scoring its shame, and sat down at the right had of God (Hebrews 12:2).

With varying degrees of intensity, all of us have at least one current issue providing proof positive that we live in a crumbling, crisis-filled and cruel world.

Take heart, brother and sister in Christ. Our sovereign God took the most evil, despicable act in all of human history - the death of the perfect, sinless God of God - to accomplish our salvation and redemption! Then He rose from the dead and is now applying His glorious salvation to our daily living.