Journey to the Cross

Pause

What’s standing in the way between you and feeling fine?

What’s squeezing you in its grip, refusing to let go?

What’s staring you down, telling you to give up?

Opposition = the force that works against you. And it’s not always a cartoon character bad guy, is it?

It could be a hurt you can’t release. A person you can’t forgive. A habit you can’t shake. Those people who never believed in you. That voice in your head that tells you you’re nothing.

What if you listened for a different voice instead?

A voice that whispered the truth?

Listen

At that time, some Pharisees approached Jesus and said, “Go! Get away from here, because Herod wants to kill you.”

Jesus said to them, “Go, tell that fox, ‘Look, I’m throwing out demons and healing people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will complete my work. However, it’s necessary for me to travel today, tomorrow, and the next day because it’s impossible for a prophet to be killed outside of Jerusalem.’"

Luke 13:31-33

Think

They want to kill him? The guy who heals the blind and cures the lame and feeds the 5000?

Jesus didn’t come just for good deeds. He came for the truth. He tells corrupt leaders, “Just because you think you’re great and powerful, doesn’t mean God does. There’s a bigger Kingdom at hand.” But the king down here wants him dead.

Amazingly, Jesus isn’t scared. He says, “Go tell that sly fox I’m gonna keep doing what I’m doing. I’ve got evil to cast out and sick people to heal, and I’m gonna do it today, and tomorrow, and keep doing it till I’m done.”

Jesus knows Jerusalem’s coming; the cross looms close. But he sticks to the game plan. Go and heal. Go and love.

If you’re alive and reading this right now, I’m betting there’s at least one sneaky fox in your forest – a person or situation or thought – ready to take you down.

Will you let it? Or will you keep on healing, keep on loving, keep on looking to the King?

Cari Pattison

Pray

God,
This world can be hard,
and you know where the foxes hide.
Can you throw me a life-line?
Remind me that I am more than my battles,
and you are stronger than my opposition,
and that I don’t for a second have to walk this journey alone.
Amen.

Go

Thus sayeth the Lord:

No weapon formed against you shall prosper.

No weapon of defeat,

No weapon of self-doubt,

No weapon of fear or rejection or jealousy or rage.

No thing can separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus.

So be strong in the Lord and in the power of God’s might:

‘Cause nothing can stop your journey now.