Daily Affirmations - Day 6 - Lowly and Victorious - The Way of the Cross
- Alisa B.
- Apr 18
- 2 min read
Day 6: The way of the cross
When they hurled their insults at Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats. Instead, He entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly. “He himself bore our sins” in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by His wounds you have been healed” (1 Peter 2:23-24).
Almighty God, You are enthroned as the Holy One... for dominion belongs to the Lord and He rules over the nations. (Psalm 22:3, 28). All the hosts of heaven worship You and do Your will (Psalm 103:21).
I can only bow before You Lord Jesus, in wonder and in awe, as I try to grasp Your voluntary surrender of might, of rule, and of lordship— of all that You are as God. You, in whom, through whom, and for whom all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible... thrones or powers or rulers or authorities (Colossians 1:16) — You chose to endure insults, scorn, mockery, suffering— from ones who depended on You for their very breath.
You made the record clear, "Do you think I cannot call on My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?" (Matthew 26:53). But instead, You became obedient to death— even death on a cross (Philippians 2:8). Instead, You spoke words of humble submission, ‘Here I am—it is written about Me in the scroll— I have come to do Your will, My God’ (Psalm 40:7, Hebrews 10:7).
This is not the human way to victory. Yet there You were, the Commander of the Lord's Army (Joshua 5:14), choosing the ultimate battle plan that disarmed the powers and authorities, and made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross (Colossians 2:15).
Jesus, all that is in us inclines towards life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise (Exodus 21:23-24). And in this world of brokenness and evil, we see all around us the results and the consequences— the dreadful toll and the wearying cycles of violence, death, power, oppression, and perverted justice.
You have called us from this deeply rooted investment in the human way— from retaliation and violence, and equally from cowardice, complacency, and tolerance of evil. You have called us to courage, to zeal, and to opposition of all that perverts Your standards of justice, mercy, and compassion.
You have called us to the way of Christ— the way of the cross. You have called us to love that is revealed with actions and in truth— love that lays down our lives for our brothers and sisters (1 John 3:16, 18).
O Lord Jesus, our instructions are clear: To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His steps (1 Peter 2:21). Help to follow Your "battleplan" confident in the ultimate triumph of the cross; entrusting ourselves to Him who judges justly.
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