Journey to Easterনমুনা

Jesus’ Life on Earth – The Sliding Doors Moment

Jesus’ life fascinates me.

What we know of Him shows a man who healed the sick, helped the poor, forgave quickly, loved generously, discipled selflessly. It all sounds so good, yet His ways were so disruptive that they made Him the target of a plot to kill Him.

He knows it’s coming. At the Passover supper with His disciples, He makes it known that He’s fully aware of His pending betrayal. And He knows who’s going to do it. Yet, He relaxes at the table and shares the meal and His wisdom.

We later see Him with sweat like blood, pleading, ‘My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done’ (Matthew 21:42b, NIV). This is where Jesus is captivating in His character. Were it any other person, they would have leapt at the sliding doors moment of the Last Supper. If He’d named who was about to betray Him in that room, you can imagine the reaction of the other eleven disciples. The betrayal plans would have been scuppered. He could have taken the cup away from Himself. Instead, Jesus just accepts that this is what must happen: ‘not my will but yours’.

Yes, Jesus captivates me. Not just in what He did do, but in what He didn’t do.

Written by SUSIE HOLT