A lonely heron looks across the weir. Known for their angry disposition, this one seemed to be very patient waiting for some food to pass by. It was stood on a simple collection of twigs and it stood motionless, waiting. What the heron was waiting for I do not know. It could have been food, it could have been a return of a mate, or any other number of things.
2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
The Discipline of God
3 For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.
The interesting line that jumps out is that Jesus endured.
He didn’t use his powers as God to take his pain on the cross. He didn’t create a show of armies of angels in the sky to answer his mockers, he simply endured everything. And when we get really full of woe about how God hasn’t appeared to us, or how we have gone a week and he hasn’t answered our list of prayers instantly, then just think and dwell on Jesus’ pain and endurance on the cross and how he did all of that for us. But what is more is that because he has endured human pain as a human, I feel he can really connect with us when we are in pain. When there are people being tortured for their faith, then Jesus might not save them from their physical pain but he is there enduring it with them.
I know this because when I have been at my lowest times and I have turned back to God, He has always been there waiting patiently to just turn and wrap his arms around me and endure this pain with me.
Our souls must remain strong and joyful in hope. We do this through prayer, the beginning and end of all our training.
But why do I always find it hard to engage people in prayer?
When people discuss problems with me and I suggest we pray or I pray for a solution and God’s help and am sometimes, often than not, met with laughter! Having visited Mother Shipton’s cave today I feel people perhaps are most likely to dip their hand into a magical pool and make a wish than they are to drop to their knees and pray to the creator who is an awesome God who always listens and acts – we just need to turn to him and wait, endure and joyful endurance. Like the Heron.
Dear Lord, thank you for your sacrifice on the cross. Thank you for coming down to this earth to endure with your life so that we could be made sons of God through adoption, through Jesus Christ.
Amen
365 Exhortations 