RESOLUTE

Isaiah, the prophet, prophesied about Jesus in chapter 50 verse 7, "Because the Sovereign Lord helps me, I will not be disgraced.  Therefore have I set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame." Luke 9:51 says, "As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem." 

These two scriptures paint a picture of determined choice! Jesus had made up His mind that He would go to the cross for the good of everyone on the earth, then and now.  He knew He was facing torture and death.  He was born to die.  But He also chose to do it as a man.  He had flesh and blood, as well as feelings and emotions, just like you and I.  He developed very close relationships with people on the earth, shared His life with them.  He was a young man still, only 30 years old.  His whole life was before Him. 

However, He did not waver in His choice to restore us to relationship with the Father!  He was determined to do what His Father was doing and speak what His Father was speaking.  He knew that there was another Kingdom, even more real than the Roman Empire! He only wavered once in His humanity, in the Garden of Gethsemane.  In Matthew 26: 39, Jesus prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. yet not as I will, but as you will."  Even in His moment of weakness, He was determined to do the will of the Father.

Why do I point out these scriptures? We are fickled human beings!  We don't really understand what it means to faithful, immovable, steadfast in the work of the Lord.  Even on my best day, I don't keep Jesus and His purposes on the forefront of my thoughts and actions all day long.  I am prone to wander and give in to distractions and my own desires.  Do I want to be like Jesus?  YES!  I want to set my face like flint to KNOW the Lord and follow Him whole heartedly! 

So how do I do that?  By each day, starting fresh and new with Him.  His mercies are new every morning and what is past, is in the past!  So every day I get a clean slate to follow Him.  My goal is to make choices every day that say, "I trust you God and I choose to follow you!"  There are so many around us, family, friends and strangers that need to see Jesus loving them and walking with them.  You and I are JESUS to them.  They need to see consistent, God like character in us.  They need to see unconditional love in us. 

I don't know about you, but I choose to resolutely follow Holy Spirit and reveal the Father...TODAY!

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