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May 21, 2024 06:00am

What Would You Change?

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If only we had a Time Machine.

What would you change? Would you stop your 16 year old self from making a huge mistake? Would you tell your friend not to get in that car? Would you go back and accept that job offer you passed up?

“If I had it all to do over again…”

I hear that phrase from people and understand their desire to change what’s happened. Mistakes are made. Bridges are burned. People are wronged and hurt. And many times it’s because of our own choices.

No one has the power to change the course of history. Well, except for God. But Jesus knew the choices that would be made, choices that would result in pain, agony and death for Him, and He still chose not to change them.

John 13:21-27

“When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.
22 Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake.
23 Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.
24 Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake.
25 He then lying on Jesus’ breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it?
26 Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.
27 And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly.”

He knew.

He knew what was ahead for Him. He knew Judas, His friend, the one whom He had called to follow Him, would betray Him. He knew His life would come to an end in a horrific way.

And He didn’t change a thing.

Just thinking about what Christ endured, I want to go back and change it. I want to intervene as they stripped Him and beat Him. I want to stand in the way as they forced Him to carry His cross. I want to charge the hill of Calvary with an army and slay every soldier to free Jesus.

And God could have done that. Jesus could have saved Himself.

But He didn’t.

Satan thought he had won. The moment Jesus handed Judas that piece of bread, Satan thought God’s plan to save mankind was finished.

He was wrong.

Just as he was when he thought he could be equal with God.

Just as when he thought he could destroy God’s plan in the Garden of Eden.

Time and time again he thought he had the victory.

But he was wrong.

The moment Jesus handed that piece of bread to Judas, He chose you and me.

He chose death so that we could have life. What the enemy meant for evil, God would use it for good. And through it all He would rescue the likes of us.

Praise God that He didn’t change a thing.