“When Jesus was walking the earth,” Stan began, “He was very focused on being who and in doing what God the Father intended in fulfilling why He was sent into the world.”
“Why was He sent?” I asked. “What was He sent to do?”
“Die,” was Stan’s one-word response. “He came to die in my place to pay the price to reconcile me to God. Not only me, but you, my friend, and all who believe.”
“And Jesus was determined to do that?” I asked.
“He was,” Stan replied. “It is recorded that He ‘set His face’ to go to Jerusalem. To me, this means that He was determined to go where God had for Him to go, and Jerusalem was the place.”
Continuing, Stan said, “Jesus knew all that awaited Him in Jerusalem. The pain, the suffering, the rejection, and the death, but He still went. He did that because that is what God the Father had for Him to do. Oh, I pray that I would have that same sort of commitment to be who and to do what God has for me.”
“You don’t have that commitment?” I asked.
“Not as much as I would like,” Stan replied. “Some days and hours the answer is ‘Yes’, but too often the answer is ‘Maybe’ or ‘No’. But I know for a fact that my commitment to what God has for me is a whole lot less than God would prefer.”
“If you don’t have the sort of commitment you say you would like, why don’t you?” I asked. “Why not just be committed?”
“It’s called ‘self’,” Stan replied. “It comes from my preferring me over God. It comes from saying one thing and doing another. It comes from being a human living on this side of eternity. It comes from refusing to continuously move along the path from conversion to transformation.”
Concluding, he said, “The bottom line is that it is all about choice. It comes from my failure to choose to be fully surrendered to the leading of the Holy Spirit for His help in being determined to go to my Jerusalem, whatever and wherever it is.”
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And it came about, when the days were approaching for His ascension, that He resolutely set His face to go to Jerusalem. Luke 9:51.
Prayer: Thank you, Father, that you have for me places to go and things to do for you. Thank you for wanting me to be involved in what you are doing. I confess that too often I prefer doing what I want to do, going where I want to go, rather than what you have for me. Please forgive me. And please help me in following your lead in going only where and in only doing what you intend in every aspect of my life on this side of eternity. Thank you I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Things to think (and journal) about:
- What is your biggest take-away from this devotional?
2. What does what you read say about God and about us as His people?
3. What is God saying to you to do personally?
4. Who can you share this with to make a difference?
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Comments, questions, suggestions, and the like can be addressed to The Storyteller at: waiting4thetrain@gmail.com.
Waiting for the Train 