FRIDAY, APRIL 27
Scripture: Luke 23:33-38

Luke 23:33-38 says, “And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and one on the left. Then Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.’ And they divided His garments and cast lots. And the people stood looking on. But even the rulers with them sneered, saying, ‘He saved others; let Him save Himself it He is the Christ, the chosen of God.’ The soldiers also mocked Him, coming and offering Him sour wine, and saying, ‘If you are the King of the Jews save Yourself.’ And an inscription was written over Him in letters of Greek, Latin, and “Hebrew. THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.” Isn’t it amazing that on the cross Jesus was taunted with, ‘If you are chosen, then change your circumstances.’ Have any of us ever heard that, ‘If you were chosen by God you would never be in this hard situation?’ Yet, maybe our painful circumstances are because we have been chosen by God. That is the reverse of the way the religious world teaches us to look at things. For Jesus the whole reason that He suffered the cross was that He was chosen. The reason for His adversity is because He was chosen. How many of us complain and lament because of the adversity we encounter and yet it may actually be a sign that we are chosen and that God is strengthening us for His purposes! If it is true of Jesus, our Big Brother, it is probably true of us! “For whom He foreknew, He also did predestine to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.” We need to change the way we think! When the Apostle Paul was challenged about his apostleship, he listed all his adversity as the qualifier. Perhaps he thought it relevant because of the passage that we just read. His painful circumstances were proof that he was chosen by God. He saw it that way and so should we!