Joy Set Before Me

So, I'm sitting in my office at work today, when one of my dearest friends - one that is in my inner circle - comes up for a quick visit. I've really missed her. The holidays and work have kept us from being able to do our monthly sharing of life.

Anyhow, she comes in and asks what is new. So I start to tell her of my word for the 2009 year and my journey. The minute that I tell her that my word for the new year is joy...I mean the minute that I speak it, she quotes Hebrews 12:2: "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

I know this verse well, but I am intrigued...

She and I share some very deep and vulnerable moments of our lives - connecting - I've missed her. She leaves my office.

I have to read that verse again.

Fix our eyes on Jesus, who for the JOY set before him endured the cross - so I can get to joy and it can be before me.

But to get there, to joy, Jesus endured the cross. Even though I thought the word joy meant all happy and wonderful times, I see that to get there, Jesus had to endure the cross. Why should I think I'm better than Jesus?

The next statement leaves me speechless with tears streaming down my face...

Scorning its shame - Shame...Jesus knew shame! And to get to joy, He had to SCORN the shame. I look up "scorn" in Strongs. It is the greek word, kataphroneo, and it means to "think against, disesteem or despise." To get to joy Jesus had to endure the cross and thought against the shame of it.

Lord, help me think against the shame of divorce...