Devotional

Jesus Didn't Tap

Ready 

 “12Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” James 1:12 (NIV)>

Set 

I must admit that one of my guilty pleasures is to watch MMa (mixed martial arts) fights, particularly fights in the UFC.  Mixed Martial Arts is a hodge podge of wrestling, boxing, taekwondo, jui jitsu, and other fighting styles thrown into an 8-sided cage.  Fighters battle for 15 minutes (25 minutes for championship bouts) until someone is knocked out, the referee stops the action, or a fighter “taps out”.  The act of “tapping out” tells your opponent, the referee, and the millions watching on pay-per-view that you gave up because you are feeling immense pain brought on by your opponent.

I saw a fighter don a t-shirt for his post-fight interview that said “Jesus Didn’t Tap”.  Wow, what a statement!  Jesus was tortured, beaten, and put into more pain than we will ever be able to conceive; and yet he did not “tap out”.

He continued to play out the game plan set up by his Father by going to the cross, getting crucified, and ascending into Heaven.  By not “tapping out”, Jesus fulfilled the prophecy about his life and died for the sins of humanity.
 

Go 

Have you ever had to deal with perseverance? How did you handle it?

Workout 

2 Thessalonians 3:5 (NIV)
Galatians 6:9 (NIV)
John 3:16 (NIV)