DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- FOLLOWING JESUS

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – FOLLOWING JESUS

"Now they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was going before them; and they were amazed.  And as they followed they were afraid.  Then He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them the things that would  happen to Him: 'Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and deliver Him to the Gentiles; and they will mock Him, and scourge Him, and spit on Him, and kill Him.  And the third day He will rise again.' "  (Mark 10:32-34)

Jesus was leading His disciples to Jerusalem where He was about to experience bad things.  He was walking into the den of lions who wanted to destroy Him. And the disciples were following.  

The disciples were both afraid and amazed.  I think they may have been amazed that Jesus would so calmly speak of His suffering and death, but also they were afraid at the prospect of what lay before them.

Followers of Jesus are committed to going wherever Jesus leads.  It may not always be the most pleasant place but it will end up good in God's divine plan.  The end of Jesus' journey ended in resurrection.

The Good Shepherd does not always lead his followers into green pastures beside still waters.  Sometimes He leads them into the Valley of the Shadow of Death.  But when Jesus is leading, we can say confidently, "Thou art with me."

As followers of Jesus, we may sometimes have reservations about where the path will lead, but we can be assured that the end of the road will be resurrection.

A favorite Gospel song says, "Follow, I will follow Thee, my Lord.  Follow every passing day"   – even into the jaws of death.   

Love,  Dad