by Rev.Kim Dorr :: In these days of economic crisis, uncertain futures, wavering relief – in the days before Easter, I found myself meditating on Luke 9:51:
“As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.” (NIV)
I try to imagine what this must have been like for Jesus. Having just seen THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST again, the images are fresh in my mind – the beatings, the bloodshed, the torture, the anguish—How does one set out to resolutely move toward that??
My experience of human nature is that we seek to resolutely AVOID stuff like that. We want to know how to move in the opposite direction of anything like that rolling toward us. And if it’s just coming –the train wreck we know we can’t avoid – don’t we shut our eyes, duck our heads, hold our breath and kind of wait for it to hit? How does one move toward something awful?
Perhaps the answer is in the word “resolutely” – the way in which Jesus moved toward Jerusalem. To be resolute means to have a decided purpose, to be determined and from that determination to be bold, firm and steady. Jesus knew there was a magnificent purpose to what awaited him in Jerusalem. The purpose is what provided the courage and the peace. The purpose is what provided the ability to steadfastly move toward the unthinkable, to reach beyond the pain and embrace the hidden mystery of resurrection.
In these days, no matter what your circumstances are, know that God has a purpose for everything under heaven. As you look to our Lord, and reflect on His steps toward Jerusalem, may you see Him look toward you. In His eyes may you find God’s purpose more clearly revealed.
