Difficult Destiny
23 Jesus answered them, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor. 27 Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say--' Father, save me from this hour'? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name." Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again." (John 12:23-28)
When some seekers, identified as Greeks, approached the disciples asking to see Jesus, this signified that the interest in Jesus was growing beyond the immediate region of Jesus' ministry. Jesus understood their presence to mean his time on earth was coming to an end - and a painful end, at that. Jesus was not immune to fear, and he didn't relish the thought of the extreme suffering that he would have to endure. While the disciples could not fully comprehend the fate that awaited Jesus, he was open about the battle that was raging inside of him between God's will and his own. Though, the very human Jesus may have wanted God to change the plan, or find a different way, he was willing to yield to God's will and surrender himself to whatever would glorify God.
If Jesus had to wrestle with acceptance of God's will then we, as his followers, can expect to have to do no less. Jesus had been facing the temptation to choose his human will over God since his baptism. And we know that he continued to struggle and seek strength from God right up to his arrest. It didn't feel good to do God's will, to fulfill his destiny, to live into his purpose, but Jesus found strength and peace in God. Yielding to God is usually contrary to our own will - that's why it's necessary to surrender. It is satisfying and freeing to know that we are walking with God in the way God would have us to go, but it is not easy and it isn't supposed to be. That doesn't mean that we're supposed to be miserable either. Most of us aren't literally walking the path to our execution, but we are dying to self. It might not feel good as our sin is crucified with Christ, but there is joy in knowing that new life is on the horizon. There is joy as we journey together, encouraging one another. There is joy as we learn to trust God with the hard stuff because God desires our good along with God's glory.
5 Indeed, I was born guilty, a sinner when my mother conceived me. 6 You desire truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart. 7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have crushed rejoice. 9 Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your holy spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit. (Psalm 51:5-12)
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