Today’s scripture: John 18:19-24 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Steve Adams):
Years ago I went through a twelve-week group therapy program in which I sat down with six or eight other people for a two hour session each week. We were all struggling with difficult issues in our lives — so difficult that they threatened our ability to function in day-to-day life. Mine was learning to overcome, at age 35, what I had internalized from “Christian” teaching — that homosexuality is sin, ergo all my sexual thoughts are sin, ergo I can never have a spouse to love. One of the other participants said something that, some twenty years later, still helps me deal with situations in which my mind is saying — either consciously or unconsciously — “I don’t know if I can stand this!” The statement was, “The only way past the pain is through it.”
It’s so easy to avoid painful situations that we need to face head-on! In fact, it’s instinctual. However, there comes a time when we need to go ahead and go to the doctor to get tested for that dreaded disease, or confront a loved one who has a habit that’s hurting them, or speak up about a situation at work that’s just plain dysfunctional. Now, I don’t have a beautiful Southern accent like Paula Deen, but I want to say, “Y’all deal with things like that sometimes, don’t you?”
When I read the events in today’s passage, it reminds me of reading the chilling accounts of people who made their reservations for the doomed flights of September 11, 2001. In both cases, the pendulum of history is unalterably moving toward shockingly tragic events. Jesus is taking one more step toward the crucifixion, while the passengers-to-be are taking one more step toward their murders at the hands of the hijackers. In Jesus’ case, God trumped the evil one’s plans by resurrecting Christ from the dead. In the cases of the 9/11 victims, God has welcomed each one into God’s loving kingdom of eternity. Evil just can’t win in the end, can it?
Jesus’ response to being struck by the policeman can teach us a great lesson. Instead of yelling, cursing, or striking the officer, Jesus’ response was calm logic. What self-control that must have taken! “If I’ve said anything wrong, spell it out! But if I’ve spoken the truth, then why do you hit me?” is how I would paraphrase what he said. Yes, sticking to logic when our instinctual, impulsive reaction is to explode in anger at the injustice of it all is something Jesus can help us with. Then he continued to face and accept each agonizing step of his mission in life — to go toward the crucifixion and redeem humankind from the clutches of the Enemy. There was no avoiding the pain for Jesus. No, he went through it!
Thought for the day: God, thank you that, when we walk through the angst of difficult situations with you, there’s a golden dawn of love on the other side (either in this life or the next)!
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the suggestions on the How to Pray page.