“Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush Him and cause Him to suffer.” Isaiah 53:10 (Berean version)

The cuckoo clock made an eerie noise as I stood in the empty room…paintbrush in hand. What used to be my daughter’s bedroom had been converted into my wife’s sewing room years ago. Having lived here for 29 years, I know I have painted it at least 3-4 times. Now… after 2 carpets, she hinted she would like a wood floor too. So here I stand!

I don’t know if I thought it funny or ironic, but as I moved a drapery hanger, it revealed the color of 2 paintings ago…which was an almost exact match the to color now on the end of my brush! The KEY word being ‘almost.’ My wife likes… no LOVES… color and change! Except when it comes to men! Which MAY be the reason I am standing here, yet one more time, preparing to do another makeover!

Please do not think for one moment that I am complaining about my wife or the task. Oh no! I was standing there sweating, sore and tired… NOT because I love, or want, to do all that work. I do it because I love and want to do something nice for my wife. Today, I learned a new word for what that is… as it applies to Jesus. It’s called Kenosis!

Kenosis, in Christian theology, is the ‘self-emptying’ of Jesus own will, becoming entirely receptive to God’s divine will. Today’s Bible verse graphically explains what His Father’s ‘will’ really was! Can I say that MY experience of ‘will’ exchange, and Jesus experience, are about as far apart as heaven and hell? LITERALLY!

Someone made the comment to my wife yesterday, saying that they weren’t sure they would like to try our church. “You people really put a lot of emphasis on Jesus!’ I smiled when she told me. Because when it comes to sin, God is like an old fuddy-duddy! We humans who are drowning in the stuff, tend to paint over sin’s true evil to make it look better than it really is. But God cannot tolerate even a tiny spec of it. The price for my sin’s eradication was the horrific suffering and death of God’s Son Jesus Christ. They BOTH WILLINGLY PAID IT!

Jesus willingly poured out His own life, for His Father, for me. He didn’t want to do it (if it is possible let this cups pass from me). But pleasing His father was more important than pleasing Himself. And He asks His followers to do the same thing… “Love one another as I have loved you!” Got it!

Yup… painting a room and laying a floor is gonna be a piece of cake! And just in time for Christmas too! HEYYYY! I might as well take advantage of the timing… right? What is YOUR kenosis?