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2002-01-10 - No Options
Matt 26:39 And He went a little beyond them, and fell
on His face and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup
pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as Thou wilt." (NAS)
Have you ever been confronted with a painful choice where the only real option
means severe personal sacrifice? Many of us have to one degree or another.
When I was a young man, the girl I was dating called and asked if I wanted
to go on a tour of the Pentagon. Well, I was very happy with the idea of
spending time with her, but not overly excited about where we were going.
Then she reminded me her father worked in the Pentagon. Suddenly things
took on a more interesting turn. We would not be trapped in some impersonal
group with a very knowledgeable, but busy tour guide. We were the only two
on the tour with someone who knew more than he could actually tell us. It
was very interesting.
About three-quarters of the way through the tour we walked past a monument
with a number of names carved into the face. These were all of the men and
women who had been awarded the Medal of Honor. I was struck by the now seemingly
smaller number of names than I expected. Many of these people had made the
ultimate sacrifice giving their lives to save others in the service of their
country. While the rest of the day was interesting, this moment still remains
with me today. When the options were limited - when it was die to save
others or die anyway, these individuals acted so that others could live.
Another moment still remains with me too. My date and I went out for
a snack later that evening alone. It was only then that she started
to perk up. We were talking about the things we had seen, or I realized that
I was talking about them. It finally dawned on me that she had known that
this would be a great deal of fun for me even though she had seen it many
times before. She gave up her afternoon for me. It was a sacrifice not on
the same level, but a sacrifice none the less. We changed the subject to
something we were both interested in and the rest of the evening went on
so that we could both enjoy it. She had several options, and she chose the
one that put herself last for me.
In the passage above, Jesus is praying with the Father about His options.
It is clear that the plan that has been in place since before time began
will not be turned away from by Jesus. But, "if there is any other way..."
the Lord asks, let's take that path instead. Jesus knew that the road ahead
meant that He would become sin for us. He had never known sin. He would be
separated from the Father for a moment when the Father turned His back on
sin. Jesus had never been separated from the Father in all of eternity. The
road ahead meant scourging, beatings, mocking by His own creation - being
humiliated, cursed and spit on by those He came to love and to save.
If there were any other way … But there was no other way.
There is a line of thinking that is popular in some circles that says, "All
roads lead to God." Well, Jesus went to the cross because there was no
other way. If this one way is exclusive of all other ways, then all roads
can not lead to God. This was the only way The Law, which could not be set
aside, could be satisfied. The painful way. The way that helped us who did
not have the power to help ourselves. If Jesus does not take the way of personal
sacrifice, His beloved creation is doomed. And, so out of mercy, grace and
compassion - Jesus walks the way to the cross in order to make the only way
for us.
Matt 7:13-14 "Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is
wide, and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those
who enter by it. 14 "For the gate is small, and the way is narrow
that leads to life, and few are those who find it. (NAS)
Don't look for a gate. Find the narrow gate.
Lord Jesus - there will never be another act of bravery,
compassion and selflessness that matches what You did for us. You opened
the narrow gate so that there might be a way for those who will hear Your
call and come to be saved. Thank you - Amen.
Grace & Peace,
Mike
jmhoskins@gmail.com
http://www.cfdevotionals.org
2006-01-12 2018-10-04
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