Dear Redeeming Grace,

On this Good Friday, we rightly remember the death of our savior. Hebrews 2:8b-9 helps us reflect on some spiritual realities. The writer of Hebrews is speaking of the relationship of the Father and the Son when writing this:

“Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.” (Hebrews 2:8b-9 ESV)

As I reflect on this passage, I’m encouraged by a few things:
1. Jesus, in the utmost humility, and by the grace of God, tasted death for us. He knows suffering and sorrow. The comfort that Jesus offers us is a comfort of one who bore our pain. What amazing love that our God would suffer in our place.

2. Lately the world seems like a darker place than usual. We live in a time that feels increasingly unmoored from truth. The news most days is grim, teeming with stories of strife, hatred, disasters and violence. But in the face of that, this sentence brings much hope — “At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him.” The underlying truth is that one day, we will. Nothing has been left outside of Christ’s control, so we live and wait with hope, until Christ returns.

3. What does the writer say we do see now? Jesus, crowned with glory and honor. Once, he was mocked as the “King of the Jews”, wearing an excruciating crown of thorns. Now, he is worshiped as the King of kings, crowned with glory and honor.

As we reflect together tonight and through this weekend, remember the one who tasted death for you, gives you eternal life and is coming again.