When one thinks about the pain and suffering the Jesus endured on the cross, it is breathtakingly sad. History clearly documents the pain and suffering that being whipped, beaten, and hung on a cross to die encapsulates. As a matter of fact, Jesus himself said "My father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me." (Matthew 26:39).

But the beauty of our Savior is that although it was painful, Jesus looked at us as worthy of His sacrifice. He loved us that much. The Bible says Jesus was "the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross" (Hebrews 12:2). And the Bible also says "God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8).

Another reason to believe that we are the joy of Jesus is how He responds when we even glance at Him. Or give Him some of our attention and time. The Bible says "we have ravished Jesus' heart with one glance at Him" (Song of Solomon 4:9)

So did Jesus feel pain on the cross? The Bible says He "bore our suffering and carried our pain". So I would say yes, he felt those whipping lashes and the pain of being nailed on a cross. Yet, did He do it joyfully? I believe the Bible when it says we were the joy set before Him. We can praise God today, that His beautiful plan was to redeem us by the pain and suffering of His Son, Jesus, who joyfully died to make a way for us to be with God in eternity.

Today, give thought to the fact that Jesus sees you as "the joy for which He died"!