I was running a 3-mile distance the other day. In my final mile, I felt the weariness, pain and intensity. The heat of the day had raised my body temperature, making it harder to keep pace. But I was 2/3 of the way to the finish line. My mind was focused on the end and I managed to speed up a little. I was motivated, in my pain, to make it and finish well.

In that final mile, Jesus’ journey to the cross came to my mind.

• It was a painful journey, much more pain than I was feeling. Here’s what I was thinking as I ran that last mile:Jesus journeyed to the cross by choice. He did it for us. It was the path to the abolition of the power of sin, victory over the serpent—his road to the resurrection.

• Even on the cross, he was the Almighty God. He was on his way to victory. He was winning, not losing. His family and followers at the foot of the cross could only see his physical suffering and death, so they wept and mourned. They had no idea he was conquering Satan as he hung on the cross.

• The Jesus on the cross is a Jesus of infinite strength. He could have come down, but it took more strength to stay up there and complete the race. He took the sins of all mankind on himself and paid the penalty.

When an Olympic marathoner enters the stadium, taking the last lap, having given his all, often staggering across the finish line, what do we do? We look in awe. The crowd erupts in applause as the first runner enters the stadium, makes his final lap and breaks through the tape. While we’re pained by their pain, we honor them for their grueling accomplishment.

If Jesus were a mere man, he would have been helpless on the cross. But he was the Almighty God. Even on the cross, he was his full essence—King of kings, Lord of Lords, the Alpha and the Omega, Majesty. We should stand in awe.

I don’t think I’ll look at Christ on the cross the same way anymore. That run of mine changed my perspective.

The next time we consider Jesus crucified, let’s see beyond what we see with our eyes and consider the spiritual war that Jesus had won.

For he himself said, “It is finished.”