Already Was

Jesus' Aunt Salome, Mary's sister, came to Him one day and asked Him for some special privileges for her sons, His cousins. "When You have Your kingdom all set up, can James and John be on the thrones beside You? I want them to have the best seats."
Jesus told her that it was going to cost them something extra to have those seats, but regardless if they were willing to pay the price, it was not up to Him anyway. God the Father was going to be in charge of the seating arrangements.

Just a short time before that, Jesus had told the disciples that they were all going to have their own special throne when He came into His glory. They would judge the twelve tribes of Israel from their thrones.

He already was going to give them a throne of their own, but they wanted the best spots. They wanted to flank His sides and be His special confidants.
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Jesus set His face towards Jerusalem. He was headed to the cross. He was coming of His own free will. But some bad guys bound Him and took Him to where He already was headed. He despised the shame that came along with having the initiative of His own free will encompassed by another's. He kept His own will submitted to the Father. He didn't let Himself react in frustration to being made to do what He was already going to do. He continued to set His face like flint on His journey to the cross.
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Sometimes, I tell my children to do something they were already going to do. I take away their joy of doing it with their own free will. Somehow, I must find a way to see where they were headed without binding them with my control. I must set them free to do the right thing without always telling them how and when to do it.
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My heart is set on a pilgrimage towards God. Sometimes, someone comes along side me and says, 'You're doing it wrong. Do it this way. Do it my way.' They bind me with ropes and drag me along to the place I already was going. It's hard to not react in frustration. I want to turn around and head in the opposite direction. But like Jesus, I must despise the shame that comes along with having the initiative of my own free will encompassed by another's. I must keep my will submitted to the Father. I must worship Him even when chained. I must not forget to do what I was already going to do. I must set my face like flint and go on with my pilgrimage.
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