Lent

I'm writing this blog because it is Lent.  And we have been somewhat overtaken by events and I for one have taken my eye off the ' Lent' ball.  Today it's time to leave aside the disaster which is affecting the world and re-focus on the lead up to the greatest day in history.

Let's face it, we might think we are living through difficult days but we are not living under occupation by a brutal foreign army.  We don't live in an age where the slightest infection can kill you and more children die before the age of one than live.  We are free to disagree with the policies of our government without the threat of being crucified.  We have insurance and pensions and health care and education and technology.  Jesus could have chosen to come to us now, in 2020.  He didn't.
He chose to come into a dangerous and difficult time and live a dangerous and difficult life from the very moment He was conceived.  Whatever we suffer, endure, experience in our lives I very much doubt that we will get to heaven and be able to look Jesus in the eye and say ' Ah, but You don't understand what I went through'   Because even if He didn't suffer your pain in the 33 years of His walk on earth, He most certainly did suffer it on the cross.   Which is what these days leading up to Easter are all about.  Remembering.  And being thankful

Image result for father may they be one as you and i are oneToday I am thinking about Jesus setting His face towards Jerusalem.  He knew He was going to His death.  We see in Gethsemane that He didn't want to die.  But something in Him enabled Him to approach the catastrophe of the cross with peace in His spirit and love in His heart.  I don't think He gritted His teeth and braced Himself as He walked towards Jerusalem that week.  I get the feeling that He walked towards Golgotha with two things in His mind.  1) that like Abraham before Him, God could change His mind and provide a way out  and 2) if He didn't, then God would enable Him to suffer and die well.  Trusting that one way or another it would all work out to the glory of God to bring the Father the result He desired.   And that was what motivated Jesus, His huge, massive amazing, passionate love for His Father.   For the joy that was set before Him ..........   I think part of that joy was the joy Jesus must have felt at being able to make a way for His Father to connect with His people.  Jesus's love for the Father was overwhelming.  It was stronger than death itself.  It fuelled everything He did. 

Image result for jesus on donkeyAs I'm writing this I'm listening to a song which is repeating the words ' God You are so good'  reminding me of an old old song God is so good, God is so good, God is so good He's so good to me'   And in my mind's eye I can imagine Jesus sitting on a donkey coming into Jerusalem, with the crowds yelling and shouting, and under his breath, despite knowing what is going to happen in a few days time, He is singing to His Father ' You are so good to me'.   His connectedness with and passion for the Father were what enabled Jesus to be obedient to the end.  He lay down His life willingly.  Not under duress.  Not out of duty.  Not because He had no choice.  Not grudgingly.  Willingly.  Out of love.

I want to be like that.


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