Put Away Your Sword
Coming out of the Easter season makes me wonder. I wonder what it felt like when Jesus died, the sky grew dark, the earth shook, and the veil tore. Can you imagine? I wonder what it must have felt like for Mary to meet risen Jesus on that garden path, and to experience that moment when she realized that it was Him. That’s quite a lightbulb moment, right? And, I wonder what went through the disciples minds when the dots of all that Jesus had been telling them would happen finally connected and made sense.
Ever wonder what it would have been like to be one of those disciples who traveled with Jesus for all that time? To see their leader, their Rabbi in danger could not have been a foreign experience for them, but when armies and enemies were there for Him, and one of their own betrayed Him with a kiss, their minds must have been reeling.
John 18:10 says that Peter drew his sword and cut off the ear of Malchus. Trying to protect Jesus, Peter wounded the high priest’s servant. I love the next moment though. Jesus told Peter to put away his sword and allow God’s plan to unfold.
Don’t we at times get tempted to take matters into our own hands? Don’t we convince ourselves that WE know how things should go, and WE know the outcome that is best? Why? Because we’ve been so good at it in the past? That can’t be it! Most often, moves like that lead to sin. Moves like that lead us to draw our figurative swords and often interfere in what GOD has planned.
Think of this - If Peter had gotten his way that night in the garden, Jesus would not have gone to the cross. If Jesus had not gone to the cross, God’s plan for the redemption of the world would not have been fulfilled. Without that redemption, we - all of us - would have no hope. None.
I’d like to think that I’d be a quicker study than Peter in moments like these, but truth be told, he’d probably have me topped. Let’s be grateful that Jesus did not shy away from what was best because it was hard. Let’s be grateful that he made sure that God’s plan was fulfilled - for us!