Dear Church of the Open Bible,
It is a fascinating thing to observe determination in others. One of my sons sticks the tip of his tongue out the corner of his mouth when he is focused on accomplishing something. Another furrows their brow as they work at a task. Another is unable to hear anything else when they are concentrating. But perhaps a better question concerns the object of their determination. Some people are determined to achieve the best grades possible in school. Some people are determined to make the most money they can. Some people are determined to do the least work they can and still make a living. Last Sunday, Darryl Peters preached from a passage where we see Jesus’ determination and the lack of it in some would-be disciples.
“When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem.” - Luke 9:51
As Darryl mentioned, to “set one’s face to go somewhere” is an idiom that shows determination to accomplish something. What is it that Jesus was determined to do? Go to Jerusalem. Go towards suffering and eventual death on the cross. He was determined to accomplish the Father’s will and provide a way for us to be reconciled to Him.
What do you set your face toward? What are you determined to do? If your face is not set toward following Jesus, you will find many other things slipping in and taking your focus and concentration (cf. Luke 9:57-62). May we be a people known for our determination to pursue God’s will by His grace, setting our faces to follow His Son from suffering to glory.