Before the foundation of the world, the members of the Trinity committed to bring about the creation and salvation of a people that God would claim as his own. Part of this eternal, divine commitment included something we seldom consider. The members of the Trinity committed themselves to grief.
While it is impossible to fully know the mind of God, he does with gracious compassion disclose some intimate details to us. When God committed to save a people for himself, that commitment included grief. Jesus, the second member of the Trinity, would be treated with cruelty, rejection, hatred and indifference by men. He would know pain and betrayal. He would know grief. Part of God’s commitment included that Jesus would be made like his brothers, his people, in every respect (Hebrews 2). The Trinity committed to grief at the suffering of the sinless Christ.
But there is one more dimension to this commitment to grief. This is the human dimension of the Father denying the heartfelt plea of his son to allow the heavy cup of judgment to pass from him. As a human, like you and me, knowing what was about to happen at the crucifixion and the wrath of his father being emptied out upon him there was only one human response he could make. He pleads with his Father to take the cup away. And because of the divine commitment of the Trinity Christ knew his Father would deny his earnest request. Both Father and Son would experience the grief of keeping their commitment.
This faithful commitment of God and his Son to know and experience the greatest depth of grief imaginable brings hope to you when you face the overwhelming flood of grief in your life. Jesus has already been there before you. His Father is the God of all comfort. His God is your God! When grief washes over you, your Savior is there. Grief does not terminate in death but in life; life that is made possible by the loving, faithful commitment of the Trinity to grief. God will turn your mourning into unspeakable joy. He is committed to it.