Devotion Corner

Matthew 26:53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?

Can we ever truly fathom the depths of God’s love? Can we ever really grasp the immensity of His power? Can we ever fully understand the scale of His faithfulness? No mortal mind can ever truly know the extent of God’s magisterial glories, as they are eternal. Yet in these words uttered by our Lord and Saviour, as seen in Matthew 26:53, we can see so many of His wondrous and unique ways.

Who cannot be humbled to bended knee of awe filled reverence, when He see how faithful and loving Christ was in the face of true cruelty, mockery and purest evil. As Christ Jesus stood before a mock trial, He went as a Lamb to the slaughter, quietly, obediently, just as the prophets foretold. This He did in accordance with the will of the Father, so that His shed blood might be the final payment for our many sins.

Yet in this display of obedience, humility and love, we also see Christ’s awesome power as the Lord of Hosts! For as He endured the corruption and wickedness of that mock trial, He held back 72,000 angels from defending Him against this earthly terror. Imagine the power and destruction that such numbers of angels could unleash! All in their just anger against the murderous desires of evil men such as Ananias and Caiaphas. Yet their heavenly swords were kept still by the command of their Captain, the Lord Jesus Christ, all so that Scripture would be fulfilled.

Though Christ could’ve summoned such massive angelic power with but a word, He stayed silent in His orders to them. This He did in all His eternal wisdom, knowing that the only way we sinners could be saved from eternal hellfire, was in His death and resurrection. He knew He was born to die for the sins of the world, though being sinless Himself. And so He gave Himself in loving obedience to the will of the Father. Yet also in joy of heart, knowing that His atoning sacrifice would mean countless numbers of lives would be redeemed through His victory at Calvary.

How the many glorious attributes of God come together so beautifully and so consistently boggles the mortal mind. So, it is with true thankfulness of spirit, that we thank God that His eternal glories have been revealed to us in the blessed form of His Son and our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.