Never the Less

While working on the devotional "One Desperate Hour" and praying over that verse another truth stopped me in my tracks: just one long word tucked into the middle of that verse: the word "nevertheless"

You see the first part of that prayer was Jesus realizing the weakness of his flesh, crying out in his most desperate hour to a Holy Father to strengthen this weak, wounded flesh of humanity.

Then it changes "nevertheless"....the pivotal words. The words that are followed by an absolute surrender, an absolute acknowledgment of who God is, a time of allowing His will to consume and control the situation and the outlook.

However in those words are a mountain of truth. Something caused Jesus to see the outcome, the fruit was worth the journey. The blessing out-weighed the suffering. The beauty would be worth the betrayals, beating, blood, and brokenness. The benefits out numbered the cost.

I am the Never the Less! I am the one Jesus saw in that instant and so are you. He saw us each as we are before we are formed in our mother's wombs. He saw us each as we are in our suffering of sin. He saw us each as we are in Him, made righteousness and beautiful because of the offering of His life for our atonement, our redemption.

I am Never the Less because Jesus went to the cross, because he surrendered to God's will...because he chose to stay in this flesh to become a sinless offering for all humanity. I am Never the Less but always the more.

Never the Less: always the victor, always the head, always with hope, always redeemed, always set free, always counted precious and set apart, always known by name, always remembered, always held in His hand....never to be Less again!

I am Never the Less because I know the I AM!