Day 26: Engaging Prayer

Lonely Obedience  - by Pastor Kyle Johnson 

Read: John 19:1-37

This is Good Friday.  For Jesus, as we read, this is anything but good.  For us, it is beyond amazing.  The journey it took to get there was incredibly lonely.  Take a moment and think of the path up the hill of the skull that Jesus had to walk.  There were a lot of people around, but no one on His side.  There were many voices yelling out to Him, but none were speaking encouragement. This was one of the most difficult and lonely journeys of all time.  The only thing that kept Jesus walking up that hill, carrying the weight of the cross in the midst of all of the opposition was obedience.  He simply (that doesn’t seem like the correct word since it was everything but simple) had to walk because it was His task to accomplish.  From the first sin of Adam this was the plan.  No one was walking with Him and no one else could.  

Many times obedience to the path that God has for us seems so incredibly lonely.  That might be where you are at right now.  Don’t give up.  Keep walking.  Know that as you walk this lonely path of obedience Jesus will never leave you completely alone.  In fact, it is in the lonely obedience that we often experience Jesus’ presence the most.

Pray: Jesus, I am in awe of your love for all humanity, including me.  I can never fully understand what you went through to walk your lonely path on Good Friday, but I am so grateful.  Help me Lord to have the strength to remain obedient even when I feel alone and worn out.  Amen.