Thursday, October 13, 2022

October 13, 2022

John 19: 10 (NIV)
“Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?”
He was no passive victim of circumstances.*
Pilate might have felt that he had the power of life and death over Jesus but he was so wrong. What was he expecting from Jesus in response? Did he think Jesus was going to beg for mercy? Offer him a bribe? Curse him, perhaps? Instead, Jesus calmly put Pilate in his place. “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above,” he said (verse 11).

Jesus did not deny that Pilate had earthly authority over him. He could set Jesus free or he could order him to be crucified. Because it was necessary to fulfill God’s plan, Pilate was allowed to exercise his authority over Jesus’ life and death. The same power that permitted Pilate to act is the same power that could have swooped in and rescued Jesus from the ordeal ahead.

Sometimes we are overpowered by circumstances or authorities. Can we meet them with the same calmness and assurance that Jesus did? Are we willing to endure whatever we must in order to bring glory to God? Do we know, without a doubt, that God is standing trial with us; that he could deliver us if it fulfilled his plan; and that he will empower us to stand firm in the face of our adversity? Jesus showed us how it was done when he did it for us.
God overrules in the affairs of ordinary men and women as He works out His eternal purposes in the redemption of mankind.*

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