Tuesday 31 March 2020
When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face lot go to Jerusalem.
I’m always inspired by the many stories of people who have climbed Mt Everest the effort, perseverance each one a unique story of an incredible journey to the top of the world. Many years ago, I worked in an office of a big textile company and one of the women who worked there was getting on a bit, she never appeared as someone keen on physical fitness, or any form outdoor adventure. But how wrong you can be about someone! As I got to know her she told me for one of her big birthdays she climbed to base camp at Everest, she took great joy telling me how many of the people who went with her and who were much younger didn’t make it because they tried to get up the mountain too quickly and had too much confidence in themselves. She said her secret was to put her head up admire the views and take it slowly (due to her age) and keep going. Or she steadfastly set her face towards base camp and with determination stepped out to complete the goal.
As we approach Easter, we also are reminded that the entire life of Jesus was a Journey to cross. This Journey would be the turning point for the whole of the human race, it was a fulfilment of all the Old testament prophecies of the Saviour to come, His life, His death, His resurrection and the freedom He would win for the human race to be released from sin, death and the power of the Evil. The burden was clearly more than he felt able to bear, but when the time came, He steadfastly set his face to Jerusalem to complete all the Father had sent him to do.
We also have to journey to the cross where we receive the benefit of Jesus’ work but then have to pick up our own cross and follow Him living not for own will but His.
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Luke 9 v 51-56
“It is to the Cross that the Christian is challenged to follow his Master: no path of redemption can make a detour around it.”