Matthew 26:1-3 (KJV) 1 And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said unto his disciples, 2 Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified.
This past week has been one of the most incredible weeks of my life! Between the Hunters 24/7 event and Sunday services over 95 people made a new level of commitment to Christ. For about 70 of them it was to recommit their lives to serve Christ. For at least 25, it was their introduction to a new life in Christ. I laughed, cried, got goose bumps and shouted over the commitment cards that I read. The end result of the weekend was a huge win for the kingdom of God! That being said, all week long, and even during the event Saturday night and on Sunday, I felt myself being pulled in a lot of different directions. A lot of ministry needed to happen and a lot of business needed to get done, and yet my most important duty was to pray for the salvation of those souls. At times, as I was feeling the pressure of being pulled in many directions, I also felt stress. I know that each of you know what I'm talking about; That inner tension of feeling too small for the task at hand or unable to meet the immediate needs.
Sometimes life gets really hectic. But imagine being in Jesus shoes as we walk through this Passion Week. Jesus has been ushered into Jerusalem with the praise of the shouting crowd. He's just finished his final sermon regarding the kingdom of heaven, trying to convince his audience to prepare their souls for eternity. They have questions. They have needs. But now they are all gone and Jesus is left with his closest friends and He knows He must prepare them for what is about to happen. He is going to be brutally murdered and He feels the obligation to prepare His friends for the inevitable. So He begins to try to brace them for what lies ahead.
What's really on His mind is the great pain and suffering that awaits Him. The betrayal, not just of Judas, but of all His followers. He knows it's coming and He must walk down that road anyway. He dreads the pain. Is that what's really on His mind?
Or is He looking beyond the pain, beyond his death, to the reason for His death? Is His focus on the responsibility to redeem mankind? I believe it was. But I am amazed at His ability to focus on all these other needs, all these other people in the middle of the most trying week of His life. Jesus was able to accomplish His mission because He kept it in front of Him. He never lost sight of His purpose and He never quit loving those around Him, no matter how they treated Him.
God has a purpose for your life and mine. We need to discover that purpose and remain focused on it. We need to walk a deliberate path but we also need to never quit loving those around us, not matter how they may treat us. Their eternal life is just as important as mine.
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