The Gospel of John reminds us again and again that no one could seize Jesus until he offered himself to them at the right time according to God’s plan. Jesus followed God’s timetable just as carefully as he obeyed his Father’s will. So, we can know with absolute assurance that when Jesus died, he did so to redeem us and obey his Father’s will. The Lord did not die because he was powerless to defend himself. Jesus’ death was voluntary, a sacrifice, a triumph of his obedience to his Father’s will over his own will for preservation. Wicked people were responsible, but his death was also the plan of God to redeem us! Jesus obeyed, and we are saved! He offered himself as a sacrifice at the right time, God’s time, so we could be adopted into the Father’s family and be freed of our bondage to sin, death, hell, and the evil one!

Lord Jesus, I thank you for honoring our Father and being obedient to him and his timing in your life. Thank you for choosing to die for me and redeem me from my sin. Thank you, Father, for such an incredible display of love and mercy that cost you so much. Please give me a more profound sense of my worth and significance to you, because I know the great price you paid to redeem and adopt me. In Jesus’ holy name I pray. Amen.