Out of the wilderness

John 11:54-57

Jesus therefore no longer walked about openly among the Jews, but went from there to a town called Ephraim in the region near the wilderness; and he remained there with the disciples.

 Now the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover to purify themselves. They were looking for Jesus and were asking one another as they stood in the temple, “What do you think? Surely he will not come to the festival, will he?” Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that anyone who knew where Jesus was should let them know, so that they might arrest him.

Forced into hiding

Lord, why didn't you stay there?

You could have continued your ministry underground

People who needed to would find you

You could simply have slipped off the radar

of those who sought to harm you.

The wilderness is a pretty big place

avoided by many.

Those who venture there

are pretty firm of purpose

Some might say desperate.

You could have remained elusive

for the authorities

who wanted to kill you

while still available

to those who needed you.

But, as ever, your plan

was much bigger 

than we could ever imagine.

And it involved you emerging

from the wilderness,

facing up to the wrath

of religious bigots

whose teachings you thwarted.

It involved you emerging 

from the wilderness

to bring the dazzling light of love

into the open.

No

Yours wasn't a plan

to be fulfilled quietly.

It needed the cold light of day

A high profile 

A public space

Bringing God's love

out of the wilderness 

and into glorious light.