A blessed time of worship this morning, some quality time with my sweetie, some burgers on the grill for supper, and a nice walk at the park – a beautiful day from beginning to end from Your generous hand, Father! “Praise God from whom all blessings flow!”

Luke 9:51 (<<click to read the passage)

Two things that I struggle with every year are taxes and year-end reports for my churches. I despise both of them! I realize that they are things I am required to do but that does not make them any more palatable. I have shared with our District Administrative Assistant in the past that year-end reports come very close to giving me panic attacks! There are probably many who are reading this who think I’ve got a few screws loose. How can things so mundane be so detrimental to my frame of mind? In reality, they are not difficult. Yes, they are both time consuming but not crazily so. But…they drive me looney!

You would think that knowing how they affect me that I would get a head start on them, just to get them out of the way. But, nope, I put them off until I have absolutely no choice but to do them. I don’t know if I’ve ever had all of my church reports in by the deadline. I usually have my taxes in on time but not until like the week they are due. (I haven’t even started this year’s yet!) It makes no sense, but I guess that is just one of my many idiosyncrasies (much to my wife’s chagrin!)

Now that the disciples have been made aware of Jesus’ true mission on earth (though in reality it still hasn’t registered with them), the trajectory of His life is now squarely aimed at Jerusalem and His inevitable passion, death, and resurrection.

Today’s passage clearly states that the time was drawing near for Jesus’ ascension to heaven. And of course, that would come after He had gone through everything else. Yes, Jesus is wholly God – this is entirely God, and that is wholly not holy, though He was most definitely that, too – but He was also, wholly man. He knew what setting out for Jerusalem would ultimately mean. It would mean pain, suffering, humiliation, loneliness, being deserted, and being totally cut off from those He loved and with whom He interacted. His followers, His closest friends…His mom. He knew that His very life would be forfeit. It was the only way.

That had been the plan before day one even. He and the Father saw what was coming before the first man ever took his first breath. Before “Let there be light” had been proclaimed, Jesus knew this was the path He would walk.

Remember my life verse,

Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. Ephesians 1:4 (NLT)

And the only way for Him to chose us, the only way for us to be holy, the only way for us to be without fault in his eyes, was for Him set out for Jerusalem and all that that would set into motion.

Did He hesitate? Did His humanity withdraw from all that His divinity knew was ahead? Without a doubt, it weighed heavily upon his heart and mind, but today’s verse does not read, Jesus reluctantly set out for Jerusalem, but it does say, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.

Lord Jesus, knowing what You knew did not change what You knew You needed to do. You didn’t put off the inevitable. You experienced no near panic attacks. You just did what had to be done. May I follow you resolutely in every aspect of my life. Amen.

May 3rd, 2020, Sun, 7:40 pm