Deserted

At that time Jesus said to the crowd, "Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I sat in the temple courts teaching, and you did not arrest me. But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled." Then all the disciples deserted him and fled. – Matthew 26: 55-56

Rough game.

The whole way that Jesus was arrested was pretty weak. The Pharisees pulled the good old divide and conquer move. They got Judas to sell his boy out, and then came for him like thieves in the night.

And then as Jesus let them seize him his homies deserted him and fled.

That must not have felt so good.

The first thing that came to mind when I read the part about Jesus being deserted is that each one of us are on our own path.

Some people will be with us for a day, some for a season, some for many years, and others for much of our lives.

But the only ones that will be with us everyday of our lives are ourselves and God. The next step in life may be one you will have to take on your own.

Maybe it will be studying abroad, or moving to a new city for a job. Or maybe it isn’t a physical move. It may be a decision of personal or spiritual growth. Perhaps you have decided to stop drinking, or to get closer to God, or to pursue higher education then, all of the sudden, you find yourself alone because the old friends cannot accept your new lifestyle.

We cannot be afraid to walk into tomorrow when we find that we cannot bring yesterday along with us.

As long as that next step is a step toward becoming the best person we can be, then there is nothing to fear. Just keep going.

Don’t stop.

And along that path towards the next destination we will find those other travelers, who like us, are taking leaps of faith to their promised land.

Today’s Reading: Leviticus 14: Matthew: 26: 51-75