I’ve been thinking about joy and suffering.

About the fact that for the joy set before Him, Jesus endured the cross–the embodiment of humiliation, agony, iniquity, darkness, chaos, sorrow, death; separation from everything and anything beautiful, peaceful, wonderful, good, true, just and worthy; abandonment from His Father, from the Love that he had known since before Time…

I’m not sure I’ll ever adequately understand the hell Jesus went through on the cross and its aftermath.

Which makes me think that the JOY He saw, the JOY He died for… well, that’s gotta be one helluva good thing (pun intended, understatement of the week).

Here’s the kicker:  YOU are the joy that was set before Him.

You.

He went through hell on earth and hell in hell, literally, just to get to you. To be with you.

You are His joy and delight.

Happy Feb 14th Beloveds.