Maundy Thursday: Jesus Steps Closer to the Cross

I was technically safe and secure. There was no way I could have gotten hurt. I was not in any danger. There were people around, but not close behind me, so I did not even have any social pressures. All I had to do was complete this challenge at my own pace and move on.

These were the facts. Yet standing on a thin tightrope looking 30-40 feet to the ground below, locked to a safety line, a growing part of me was not convinced I was safe.

The reason I was strapped into this high-ropes course was because I wanted to do something adventurous for a milestone birthday I was celebrating. I wanted to push myself physically, and I was confident I would conquer any trail I tried and feel a great sense of accomplishment.

However, halfway through this relatively simple obstacle, I was stuck. My feet wouldn’t move. Perhaps it was the height or maybe it was because the two supporting tightropes were at armpit level instead of a more comfortable lower level. I should have been able to confidently step over each foot, hearing my carabiner gently slide along the security line above me. Instead, the only progress I could make was by moving one foot forward an inch and dragging the other behind.

When important milestone events arise, we can either walk confidently into them or drag our feet. I’m sure most of us have at least been tempted to do the latter, if not resorted to that immediately. Thankfully, we always have inspiring examples of people who accepted their moment and made the most of it.

Today, on Maundy Thursday, we celebrate one of those occasions. There’s so much that happened on Good Friday, but it was all set up by what happened the day before. Jesus had spent years with His disciples, particularly the inner circle. He did not jump from teaching in the Temple straight to Gethsemane. He spent intentional time with them first.

If there was any day for Jesus to drag His feet, it would have been the day before His crucifixion. But no, He told His disciples where to prepare the Passover. He washed their feet. He announced the presence of a betrayer. He made the heartbreaking prediction that Peter would deny Him three times. He instituted the Lord’s Supper. He taught them about what was to come and Who was to come (the Holy Spirit). Then He prayed, He prayed, He prayed.

There are some milestones we can mark on the calendar and see coming. Other momentous events envelop us unexpectedly. Whenever our moment arrives, we can stand on Jesus’ words He spoke that night:

“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me.” (John 14:1, NLT)

Armed with hearts and minds full of trust, we can pick up our feet and take one step after another. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit is with us to impart strength to take those steps, and grace for when our pace slows to a laborious drag. Yet however we face our trail’s obstacles, we will conquer them with His help and feel great accomplishment when we do so.

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Scripture is quoted from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.