He knew how the night would end. There would be pain. There would be death. He also knew that the end was not the end. He knew the purpose behind His pain. His death would bring new life to others.
This is the cup that a hero drinks. The cup of giving until it hurts. The cup of sacrifice. It is a bitter drink that goes down hard, like a stone, scraping the path raw along the way. There is no easy way out. But to the hero, the price is not too high. Love for those who benefit outweighs the pain. The hero will run the race. Others will celebrate the victory. Knowing this does not reduce the pain. It gives the pain purpose. It gives the hero the courage to keep moving through the pain.
On the other side of the pain is a new day. For those who gain from the sacrifice, the new day is the life that was bought with the sacrifice. It is freedom never experienced before, courage from a deeper well. For the hero, the new day brings sweet relief, a mission accomplished, a purpose fulfilled.
As we live in each new day that we did not pay for, may we never take for granted our heroes, our saviors, the ones who give until it hurts.
“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” Luke 22:42 NIV
Words Lived 