Passion Week - Monday Reflections

Determination.

"The act of coming to a decision or of fixing or settling a purpose."

The word is weakly defined around personal failures concerning food, anger, spending, words ill spoken...I am reminded of lack of resolve, fear and misguided attempts, the lack of completed action and wavering purpose.

I am in awe of repeated examples of determination embodied by Jesus; fully human, fully divine. Even one complete example of full determination, no faltering - is impressive. The fact that the Easter story (all of Jesus ministry) is full of this determination is overwhelming.
It is beautiful.
Amazing.

In the garden of Gethsemane, boldly walking into His purpose, He is a mighty warrior. Not the type we thought He would be on Palm Sunday but the one He preached about and lived for the past three years of His ministry. The one He prepared for in the wilderness. The Galatians 6:10 - 18 one that Paul would later write of.

He made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death - even death on a cross! Phil 2:7-8 NIV

He used His servant body to carry our sins to the Cross so we could be rid of sin, free to live the right way. His wounds became your healing. 1 Peter 2:24 MSG

As I reflect on this amazing love that propelled Christ to bear our sins and die for us (two things He never would have had to do) I find in Him, determination. It needs to be a servant determination. One that decides solely on a purpose that is act-able. Like Jesus posture, I surrender arms wide, letting go of my own reasons for determination. Habitually, my own are climbing upward and God calls me downward.

On Christ the solid Rock, I stand;
all other ground is sinking sand,
all other ground is sinking sand.

My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus Name.

When darkness veils His lovely face, I rest on His unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale, my anchor holds within the veil.

His oath, His covenant, His blood support me in the whelming flood;
When all around my soul gives way, He then is all my hope and stay.

When He shall come with trumpet sound, oh, may I then in him be found;
Dressed in his righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the throne.