A week In Jerusalem

From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests nd scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.  Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to you!"  But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, satan!  You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."
Matthew 16: 21-23 NKJV

The warnings had been there.  This man Jesus had told His followers of the things that He must face at the hands of the Jewish officials in Jerusalem.  Now, that final journey was about to begin.  Jesus knew what lay in front of Him, even if some of His disciples refused to believe His prophesy.  Yet, how many of these disciples, upon hearing the warnings of their teacher, wanted to head anywhere BUT Jerusalem?  For if Jesus was to be crucified, what would become of those who followed Him?  Surely the same Jewish authorities who sought to kill Jesus would seek to make an example of His followers as well.  How many of us, knowing that certain death lay ahead, would continue on?  Fortunately, history tells us of countless men who, when faced with certain defeat, chose instead to continue on.  One of these men was the venerable General Goerge S Patton Jr, commander of the United States Third Army in Europe in World War Two.  My uncle Bill had the distinction of serving under his command in the Ardennes forest in Belgium during the infamous Battle of the bulge.  Prior to this action, the Third Army had been socked in by bad winter weather for some time.  This, of course, limited the operations of United States Air Force fighters and bombers to attack the German enemy.  Perhaps seeking devine intervention, Patton has his chaplain print up a prayer...for good weather.

"Almighty and most merciful Father, we humbly beseech thee, of thy great goodness, to restrain these immoderate rains with which we have had to contend.  Grant us fair weather for battle.   Graciously hearken to us as soldiers who call upon thee that, armed with thy power, we may advance from victory to victory and crush the oppression and wickedness of our enemies and establish thy justice among men and nations."
~Msgr. James H O'Neill~
Chief Chaplin, United States Third Army

Be it a miracle or not, Pattons prayer was answered and the rains stopped.  Pattons Third Army rolled across Europe as the United States defeated Germany.  Did George Patton know what lay ahead of him?  Not fully, but he had an idea.  He knew enough that he needed Allied air power in order to defeat the Germans.  In retrospect, our Lord Jesus knew exactly what lay ahead of Him in Jerusalem.  Still he went forward.  To not do so would have been against His very nature.  For the suffering that Jesus chose to endure he did for us.  Not only that, He knew the glory of His Father in heaven would be revealed once He accomplished his task.  As Jesus led His disciples on that road to Jersalem, His thoughts were certainly on His task at hand.  In only a few short days, He would finaly declare once and for all, "It is finished!"

~Scott~