Roadmap

Earlier this week I was reading through the Gospels. I was paying particular attention to the Holy Week Events. It always seems so strange to me that churches celebrate Palm Sunday, skip through the suffering and then celebrate the resurrection. Very little attention is given to the arrest, the trial and the crucifixion. How can we celebrate the resurrection (which is of course worthy of celebration!!) if we do not suffer first with the death of Jesus. (I divulge a bit, but as a side note would encourage you to spend time reading the events of Holy Week. Do not gloss over the hard parts to skip to the good news.)

As I was reading this week, God began to show me how Jesus communicated with His disciples. Jesus had given them all the information they needed in order to know what was going to happen to Him. And yet, despite the information they had been given, the disciples were shocked and surprised when it actually happened. They obviously did not understand what was happening. That leads me to ask the question Why? Why, if Jesus told them what was going to happen, did they end up being surprised and shocked in the end. It seems so clear when I read the accounts that they had all the information that they needed to understand and yet they were confused when Jesus was crucified. As I continued to read, God began to show me that Jesus was not giving them the answers they expected or were looking for. The information was not given in a direct A then B then C pattern. The content and the delivery looked different then what they were searching for. They couldn't see it because they were so focused on what they were looking for. When Jesus did give them information, the disciples could not understand and did not know what to do.

I have been a bit like these disciples. I keep asking for a roadmap that is clearly and directly layed out. I am looking for an A then B then C kind of directions. Jesus did not communicate to His disciples that way.... why do I think God is going to communicate with me like that? How much information has God given me that I have completely missed because it is not what I was expecting it to be and was not delivered the way I imagined. It seems like such a DUH thing to finally get and understand. It is something that I have heard and even said over and over again. I have given people this exact advice but this week God told me again. This time, I not only heard it, I have understood it and instead of just saying it I want to live it.

I don't need a roadmap or step by step directions. I only need to open my eyes to see what God is saying and what He is telling me and teaching me. I want to understand, not my plans but His.