Putting Away our Swords

“At that, Jesus said to Peter, ‘Put your sword away!  Am I not to drink the cup the Father has given me?” John 18:11

Years ago, I used to facilitate GriefShare, a support group driven by a video and a daily emotional and spiritual workbook for the journey.  There was one constant struggle some of the precious members of that group…some had feelings of fault and guilt, while others had feelings of blame.  I know with my own grief there have been times when I questioned ‘what if we had done this or what if we had done that?’  Would the outcome be any different?  Would my sister or my dad still be living out their lives?  In grief, there can be feelings or blame towards another, or feelings of guilt towards ourselves.  Both attitudes are swinging the sword…

Jesus gave us a beautiful example of accepting God’s will when things look dire.  He understood completely that anything and everything that entered His life, was filtered through God’s hands.  He had complete confidence that God would reconcile everything He was getting ready to lose.  He knew that Peter’s attempt to intervene would be futile, because He knew the will of His Father was soon to be fulfilled.  He also understood that His residency was not on earth, and this was the plan to usher Him right back into His Father’s home.  He would finally be home…He would never again be an only child.  Because He drank from the cup given to Him, we will drink with our loved ones again one day.  The plan has always been to leave this world and join the Kingdom Family.

So many times, we fall on own sword in our challenging circumstances.  We live out regrets over which we never had control.  We blame ourselves for something that was God’s will all along.  We swing our swords at doctors, clinics, family members all the while losing sight that God is in total control.  We forget that God loves our loved ones more than we ever could.  We must put our swords away, and trust God for His plan for not only our lives but the lives of those around us.  We will all be asked to drink from the cup that God has given us, but that is not the end.  The cup is just the vessel to grow us into the likeness of our Brother, and to use us to bring people along, and to deliver right into the arms of Jesus.