From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. ~ Matthew 16:21
The crucifixion of Christ was not an ambush. In fact, it was quite the opposite. The holy, spotless, only begotten Son of God marched knowingly through the gauntlet of false accusation, hatred, jealousy, pride, contempt and deceit, into the redemptive plan of God.
Two days ago Mary and I parked our 2003 Subaru at the trailhead to Bridal Veil Falls in Estes Park, CO. A wintry drizzle was falling as we began our trek. It only took fifteen minutes for us to dispense with the rain and enter a bright, sun-filled meadow. We removed the unnecessary layers of clothing, stashed them in our backpack and returned to the journey to Bridal Veil. Within a couple of minutes it became obvious that our path would usher us back into inclement weather. The sunshine was delightful for a season, but the pathway to the falls required us to enter into the storm. Before we successfully completed our hike we were rained on, doused in sunshine, snowed on and rained on again. We saw it coming from the beginning, but the objective propelled us.
It was in the midst of a late October Colorado snowfall that I began to wrestle with the power of the picture that came to mind from Matthew 16. Jesus knew. He knew that the objective of His earthly mission would take Him through the darkest storm that any human has or will ever endure. He willingly and obediently stepped into the vortex of God’s wrath to pay for the sin that left every one of us defenseless. From the vantage point of a pristine, sun-filled meadow Jesus marched into the storm. In obedience to His Father, for the sake of love, and justice, and ransom, and peace, and victory.
He saw the storm. He felt the pain before an accusation was hurled, before the mocking began, before a nail was driven.
To Bridal Veil Falls, through the storm.
What love. What obedience. What hope. What a Savior.
{ 0 comments… add one now }