Flint March 15, 2015

The Discipline of Dismay 

³² And they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. And they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. Mark 10:32  ESV

At the beginning we were sure we knew all about Jesus Christ, it was a delight to sell all and to fling ourselves out in a hardihood of love; but now we are not quite so sure. Jesus is on in front and He looks strange. “Jesus went before them: and they were amazed.”

There is an aspect of Jesus that chills the heart of a disciple to the core and makes the whole spiritual life gasp for breath. This strange Being with His face set like a flint and His striding determination strikes terror into me. He is no longer Counsellor and Comrade, He is taken up with a point of view I know nothing about, and I am amazed at Him. At first I was confident that I understood Him, but now I am not so sure. I begin to realise there is a distance between Jesus Christ and me; I can no longer be familiar with Him. He is ahead of me and He never turns round; I have no idea where He is going, and the goal has become strangely far off.

Jesus Christ had to fathom every sin and every sorrow man could experience, and that is what makes Him seem strange. When we see Him in this aspect we do not know Him, we do not recognise one feature of His life, and we do not know how to begin to follow Him. He is on in front, a Leader Who is very strange, and we have no comradeship with Him.

The discipline of dismay is an essential necessity in the life of discipleship. The danger is to get back to a little fire of our own and kindle enthusiasm at it (cf. Isaiah 50:10–11). When the darkness of dismay comes, endure until it is over, because out of it will come that following of Jesus which is an unspeakable joy.

Chambers, Oswald (2011-05-01). My Utmost for His Highest, Classic Edition (pp. 53-54). Discovery House Publishers. Kindle Edition.

Having been raised in church, Jesus and the miracles he performed were an early part of my Bible knowledge.  Loaves and fishes.  Healing.  Water walking.  There were also the stories of how got separated from his parents in the temple and then later in life became angry with the money changers in perhaps the very same temple.

But the Jesus presented in today's entry from My Utmost presents a side of Jesus not included in the quarterlies of my youth.  In the verses leading up to Mark 10:32, the religious leaders of the day have tried to trap Jesus in a philosophical snare, he has rebuked his disciples for trying to shield him from bothersome children, and turned away a potential wealthy donor.  Now he is heading to the very city, Jerusalem, where he is  reviled by some very powerful men.

Where is kind-hearted teacher?  What happened to the joyful wine-maker from the wedding?  Things are starting to get very real.  Tensions are rising.  Pressure is mounting.  "This strange Being with His face set like a flint and His striding determination strikes terror into me."

As Christ's followers he is to be our model.  Our aspiration is to become more Christ-like each day.  Yes, that means more loving.  Yes, that means to spend time alone with the Father.  Yes, that means to follow the Golden Rule.  That also means to walk determinately into unpleasant situations.  It requires us to march resolutely into places where our presence may make others uncomfortable.  Others in our lives may scratch their heads and question our judgment.  But it is imperative that God's direction for our lives take priority over all comforts, compadres, and careers.

Are we willing to march into our own personal Jerusalem, even if it leads to our destruction?