The road to desolation and death.

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

“They went to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and Jesus said, “Sit here while I go and pray.” He took Peter, James, and John with him, and he became deeply troubled and distressed. He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

He went on a little farther and fell to the ground. He prayed that, if it were possible, the awful hour awaiting him might pass him by.  “Abba, Father,” he cried out, “everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”
Mark 14:32-36 New Living Translation

So it begins—Passion Week. This week we follow Jesus on the road to His ultimate death, but He isn’t quite finished with His work.  On Monday, He forcefully clears out the temple in Jerusalem of the sellers, who cheated the people, challenging the chief priests when His authority to do so was questioned. He curses a fig tree because it bore no fruit, highlighting the fate of the leaders in the temple. He tells His disciples again of his imminent death and resurrection. He returns to Bethany for the Passover and is anointed with expensive oil of nard, by Mary, before His betrayal. A lot happens on the desolate and dusty road He chose to travel.

Yet He could have chosen another road. We know He desired to, as the man Jesus. Later in the week, in the garden of Gethsemane, He asked His Father to take it all from Him. He knew all things were possible with God, yet Jesus surrendered to His will. It was His Father’s will to pay the price of our sin with His Son. Jesus could have walked away, but He chose to redeem us with His life.

So we walk down the road through Scripture with Jesus this week. It’s the hardest road we will ever walk, seeing what suffering our sin brought about, but the journey’s end will be the most glorious destination possible—eternity with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We don’t like to spend much time thinking about His excruciating death. We’d rather rapidly accelerate to the celebration of Easter. Until we get to His resurrection, though, spend some time in the grave with Jesus and experience His death for your sin.

Copyright text and photo Desiree Bustamante