Purpose Ain't Easy

*If you want to receive an email every time I post, scroll to the bottom and type in your email address in the field beneath "Follow by email".

My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine. Matthew 26:39

My Father! If this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will be done. Matthew 26:42b

We live in a fallen world, life is hard, people are complex, relationships (familial, platonic, and romantic) are complicated. Yet God calls His people to submit to Him, walk in obedience and joyfully follow His plan for their lives. If Jesus is our model, we see from the verses above that in His human nature, His flesh wanted to turn away from the plan but He pressed on because He knew that His purpose required Him to endure this ultimate hardship.

I got a reality check this morning as I read Matthew 26. I was humbled as I remembered what my Lord suffered on my behalf. In verse 28 Jesus tells His disciples, “this is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and His people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many.” Jesus gave His life for me. He died on the cross for my sins. He loved me so much that He bore the price of my sins so that I may not live separated from God because of sin but may have eternal life. What an amazing thing!

To fulfil the plan God had to redeem the world, Jesus suffered ridicule and false accusations “But Jesus remained silent” (v 63). Immediately, I started to think about how I often want to defend myself, prove myself right or innocent or worthy. Yet, here is the One I claim to model my life after remaining silent in the face of accusations that are much more damaging than the petty stuff I defend myself over. These accusations would lead to His death! Yet, He remained silent because He knew that His purpose was greater than His image. He did not let pride hinder the will of God for His life. WOW! Now there’s a lesson in humility.

Jesus, the Son of God, allowed men to spit in His face, beat Him, slap Him, and jeer at Him and He did nothing to stop them. (vv 67-68) A previous scene gives us an idea of His motivation for allowing all this. In v 53, He admonished His disciple not to take a sword to the men who came to arrest Him. “Don’t you know that I could ask my Father for thousands of angels to protect us and he would send them instantly? But if I did, how would the Scriptures be fulfilled that describe what must happen now?” (Matthew 26:53) Here we see that the Son of Man knew that His purpose was bigger than this momentary discomfort and He was willing to do whatever was required of Him to fulfil that purpose.

Reading this was sobering. It reminded me that I too have a purpose. The route God takes my life does not always make sense to me but there is a reason for it. Sometimes the reason is not even for my benefit but for the benefit of others. I have a choice. I can walk in obedience according to God’s plan for my life or I can look for the easy way out and do what makes me comfortable. Experience has taught me that doing God’s will brings more sustainable peace than taking the road of least of resistance.

My choice: Purpose ain’t easy but I’m gonna walk in it regardless of the personal discomfort along the way. My prayer: Lord, help me when I am weak to do that which You have called me to do. In all things and at all times may I serve as unto the Lord (thanks LH!)

* All Scripture quotations in this post are from the New Living Translation (NLT)