Saturday, March 11, 2006
Mark 14:41-42 Then He came the third time and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? It is enough! The hour has come; behold, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand."
WATCH . . . AND FOLLOW
Jesus now goes forward with confidence, which stems from trust. This confidence came from His having been ministered to. It came from His trust in the will of His Father. It came from having prayed and watched in that hour before Judas and the mob came to the garden.
Jesus knew that what lay ahead was the will of His heavenly Father, and while it led through suffering and death and burial, it did not end there. It ended with His rising again on the third day. The suffering was only for a little while. The scourging was for a few moments. His death was only a few hours, and no it was not pleasant, nor by any means an easy death to endure. But having risen, Jesus leaves behind the suffering and death and enters into His eternal glory.
You and I can face difficult days which we may see at times see coming, or suddenly upon us. A faith sustained, nurtured and supported by the Word goes forward and through it with confidence, knowing that the no temptation has over taken us that is not common to all people. Knowing that it is only for a time. Knowing that whatever the trial it will end and then comes days of peace.
With an eye to the great future, these days of earthly trials, sorrow, and suffering will pass into the glory that is yet to be revealed in us, through faith in Jesus. Without faith in Jesus, these things are not possible, only a false facade of bravado masking itself as great faith.
Watch, not only with Him, but watch Him and follow Him to eternity by faith.
