Keep Walking

     "When the days drew near for Him to be taken up, He set His face for Jerusalem." (Luke 9:51)
     Jesus "set His face for Jerusalem," knowing all that was before Him.  Knowing the bruising and beating and mocking and betraying and abandoning and humliating.  Knowing it all... He set His face for Calvary.  For a cross.  For us.
     As He walked those dusty roads, step by step, closer and closer towards His torture and death, He walked resolutely for one reason: His love for us.  Thank You, Lord Jesus.
     You kept walking, knowing all the agony and suffering that was before You. You kept walking, knowing that soon You would experience the weight of  all sin, all shame, all guilt for all time upon Your slender sinless shoulders and Your perfect holy heart.  You kept walking, knowing that on that terrible Friday, for the first time in all of eternity, You would be separated from Your Heavenly Father, separated by all that sin You bore.  You kept walking, knowing that instead of Your Father's infinite love, You would experience His infinite wrath, for You would become sin for us and bear the curse of that sin.
      And You kept walking,  knowing that all--literally all-- hung in the balance for those You came to save in these momentous days before You.  We simply cannot begin to imagine such pressure... but You kept walking, resolutely... for us, all for us.  Who can comprehend such strength?  Who can fathom such love?  "Love divine, all loves excelling..."
      But Lord Jesus, if You kept walking, then we can keep walking too.
      No matter what any of us may be facing today, it cannot compare to what our Savior faced.  Whatever suffering, whatever sorrows, whatever separation... He understands, for He's already endured infinitely worse... all for the love of you. And if He kept walking... then you can too.  Because you do not walk alone.  He walks right beside you, before you, behind you, and within you.
     And if He walks with me and in me and for me, then whom or what need I fear?
     Lord, You kept walking faithfully for us... keep us walking faithfully for You.
    To our resolute, forever faithful Savior be all the glory.