The Wrong Side of the Jordan

Luke 9:56 and they went to another village.

This is the point of Jesus' journey where he is headed to Samaria and the rejection of His Kingdom begins. Jesus makes the decision to cross the Jordan, and take the long way to Jerusalem through the valley, literally. It's definitely not the simplest or fastest way to get to Jerusalem. God seems to do this often. We want there to be a quick, easy fix, but that doesn't seem to be God's plan. He seems to take His time and not fix the hard things in our time. Jesus does that here. He heads to the "wrong side of the Jordan" and takes the disciples with him. He's taking his time. He's not choosing the easy road. He's choosing the path that draws him nearer to God and nearer to us. When I have circumstances that I think have a quick and easy fix, I'm always a little leery. I've learned to give God time to do what He has planned. I've learned His plans always prepare me for something bigger down the road. It's never about the moment I'm in; it's always about the moments to come. That's what Jesus is focused on now. He isn't concerned about being rejected in Samaria. He's concerned about my rejection of God and my redemption in Him. My redemption isn't a quick and easy fix for Jesus. It's an arduous battle that he's preparing for. He knows it. He knows exactly what I need. Sometimes I need the longer, difficult road, but He's been there with me before.