[[Mark 15]]...

As of lately, I find that when I go to read my Bible, I will read one or two chapters and God will somehow illuminate some crazy sort of revelation out of it.
Then I scribble it down feverishly and sit back totally awed, unable to even digest reading another chapter.

Today, I opened my Bible to Mark 15.
I was a little uneasy in the beginning because I realized this chapter takes place right after Jesus was handed over to be killed.
Honestly, I was hoping for something a little "happier" and encouraging.
Then halfway through, it happened again.
I fell head first into a passage that should really be one that breaks my heart with conviction.
And instead, I could only see the heartbreak of God for the hardship we go through.
And I saw how much we related to Jesus.

Starting in verse 15 and going through verse 20, it reads this:

"So Pilate, wanting to gratify the crowd, released Barrabas to them; and he delivered Jesus, after he had scourged Him, to be crucified.
Then the soldiers led Him away into the hall called Praetorium, and they called together the whole garrison.
And they clothed Him with purple; and they twisted a crown of thorns, put it on His head, and began to salute Him, "Hail, King of the Jews!"
Then they struck Him on the head with a reed and spat on Him; and bowing the knee, they worshipped Him.
And when they had mocked HIm, they took the purple off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him out to crucify Him."

Here is Jesus. Perfect. A good man. The Son of God.
Pilate had the power to free Him, yet he still handed Him over to His death.
Why?  To gratify the crowd.
When they took Him, they clothed Him in purple - the color of royalty. Authority.
After they had mocked Him and trampled on every thing that He is, they removed the purple clothing, put His old clothes back on Him, and took Him away to His crucifixion.

As Christians, we are now crucified with Christ and part of Him. (Galatians 2:19-21)
We have taken His life and His standards within ourselves.
And I was struck with thought that too often we hand over the Jesus in us simply to please the crowd.
Like Jesus, we are mocked and face resistance from not just others but from within ourselves.
Jesus has clothed us with Himself - His authority, His value, and His worth.
We have all we need.
Yet life tries to remove our purple clothing, dress us in our old life and all that we have been set free from, and send us to our death.

Do we realize who we are?
Who Jesus has made a way for us to be?
Am I ever throwing away the gift of Jesus because the crowd or even myself tries to clothe me with things that no longer define me?
Do I hide those feelings of defeat or the storms that I face because I fear no one will understand the struggle I am facing?
But I find comfort in the fact of knowing yet again, that if anyone ever knew what I was feeling or thinking, no one could understand me more than Jesus could.
And even through His battle, in the end, He walked in victory.
Because He persevered and won the ultimate storm to face in life, it is no question that we have, too.