“Now they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was going before them; and they were amazed. And as they followed they were afraid. Then He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them the things that would happen to Him.” Mark 10:32

Amazed and Afraid

There is a television show aptly titled Naked and Afraid. A man and a woman are taken to some remote spot and abandoned there with few resources, maybe a knife, maybe a fire starter. No food, no water, no clothing, no shelter. The challenge is to see if they can survive 21 days in this vulnerable and exposed condition. For the sake of your mind’s eye, the private parts are blurred out. It reminds me of us without Jesus. We are exposed, weakened, abandoned. We have pitiful resources and there are predators out there!

In the above text the disciples were following Jesus. Jesus was going before them. That is a solid position. They had a covering over their vulnerability. He was all the resources they would need. Yet He was leading them toward a threatening and dangerous environment.

The disciples were amazed. Who wouldn’t be amazed around Jesus? And yet they were following their amazing Lord into very treacherous territory. They could not understand why Jesus would do such a thing. Often we do not understand the ways of our God. His plans are bigger than we can conceive. He doesn’t ask us to understand it all. He asks us to trust Him.

The purpose of this journey was the cross. Jesus fully knew His mission of salvation and pursued His holy purpose. Jesus tried to prepare them. Jesus tried to assure them. This would be difficult, even dangerous, but He knew the astounding outcome and the wonderful triumph over sin, hell, and death that was about to be accomplished. The disciples were amazed. The disciples were afraid. The disciples were just like you and me.

I will confess that I have feared some of the things God has called me to do. It was scary for me to follow Jesus. Why then would I do it? Because He is amazing! Because what He has done for me is worth more than I can ever repay. How can I refuse Him? And in these dodgy, uncertain places He has met me time and again with all I needed in order to overcome.

There is no crown without the cross. There is no victory without the battle. Jesus knows what He is doing. He knew then and He knows now. Yes, the cross is scary. But the cross is amazing! Do not let your fears define you. Follow Jesus. Be amazed!

“Father, You never abandon us. And if we are called to hostile ground, You will be our shield and our victory. Despite fear, we will follow You because You have gone before us. All our trust is in You. In Your name, Amen.”