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The author of Pushing to the Front Orison Swett Marden narrates how a great disaster would have stopped him from publishing his book. After spending many years putting up his ideas on paper and planning on how to publish his book, a disaster struck. His house was burnt and the whole manuscript turned into ashes. Marden described this experience as highly devastating. He considered quitting. His friends advised him to look for another thing to do.
One day, while going through a page of a newspaper He saw an inscription that inspired him again. The inscription writes; life has a purpose for everyone, find yours and pursue it. Let nothing stop you. He went home renewed and began to write the book again. Today, the book “pushing to the front” which was born out of hard circumstances became an inspirational tool that transformed the lives of many. There is God’s design for everyone. Therefore, do not allow any circumstance, negative voices, hatred, fear, jealousy, envy, persecution etc make you stop your destination in life.
Concern from the Pharisees
As Jesus moves through the town and villages healing and teaching in preparation for his journey to Jerusalem, some Pharisees approach Him and ask Him to leave the place He is. They reveal to Jesus, Herod’s plan to terminate His life. The debate here is whether these Pharisees are the good ones. Are they no longer part of those planning to kill Jesus? (John 11:47-53, John 18:14, Matthew 12:14) How come they are now trying to protect Jesus? Some add that the presence of Jesus irritates the Pharisees. In this case, this may be a pretence to stop Jesus from what he is doing.
Sometimes many who do not like what you do will find many pretentious ways to stop you. Some will give you advice that will scare you away from your God-given purpose. Let nothing stop you.
A Man of Courage
Another debate is that this advice might be genuine because there are still some good Pharisees. And Jesus would have heeded to their advice and run from that place immediately, knowing the type of person Herod is. But Jesus rather rebukes Herod, calls him a fox and reminds him that both today and tomorrow His work continues until it reaches to the end. Jesus is moving according to the divine purpose and no one can stop Him. He knows that nothing can stop God’s purpose for Him.
He calls Herod a fox. A fox in Jewish understanding connotes someone who is crafty and worthless. So instead of fearing what Herod can do to Him, Jesus rebukes him and asks the Pharisees to go and tell Him what He said. Fear has no place in the life of Jesus.
Times We become Afraid
There are times we become afraid to pursue our dreams in life because we are afraid of what someone thinks about us. Sometimes because of envy and hatred, we back down. Always know that God has a purpose for you and nobody is capable of stopping God.
There are also times we lose hope because we are afraid of what we may encounter in the future or we are afraid of the person we are going to meet. Let nothing stop you despite however it may look. Jesus did not stop because of Herod. He did not stop because of the Pharisees. Jesus cannot substitute God’s purpose for human envy and hatred and neither do we. He continues His healing and teaching. Jesus promises to do this until the end. Here we see a man of courage and focus. He does not allow anything to distract His divine purpose.
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In our destination in life, we need to focus on the journey and not on the circumstances. Always know that despite anything, God’s will must always happen. Let nothing stop you even when everything turns against you. There are times difficulties may push you to give up. You may have some moments what people say or their attitude towards you may try to put you on hold. Keep moving, even if it means you can crawl.
Jesus weeps for Jerusalem
Today Jesus weeps and laments for Jerusalem and accuses the city of killing those sent to help and lead her to the way. He longs also to protect and gather her children like a hen gathers her chicks. But they rejected the Messiah. Because they reject and abandon Him, they lead themselves to ruin. Some allude that this is a prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 Ad.
In the same way, we have to know that God’s will for us is for the good and not the bad. But the problem is that we do not have time for Him. God so much loves and cares for us but we are not willing to repay Him, such love. When we reject God, we prepare ourselves to ruin. Therefore let nothing make us reject God.
Appreciate those on your Path
Like Jerusalem, there are also times we do not really appreciate those whom God sends to help us. They come to help but we think, they come to destroy. Sometimes we fight them and tell all sorts of lies against them. At the end we discover, we have lost an opportunity. Let us always appreciate whoever God sends to help us.
Let us go on our Knees
Jerusalem rejects God and puts herself to ruin. The first reading today also explains that the weapon of our warfare is not fleshy, for we do not just battle against flesh and blood but demonic forces and evil Kingdoms. Our country also needs to go on her knees. We have done protests, written a lot and yet nothing seems to move. This is now a time for everyone to go on His knees. God should not be left out in this struggle. Let nothing stop us from the journey we have started. When the physical seems not to work, then we have to go spiritual. God’s not dead.
May God bless you dearest and give us the grace to remain strong in the face of any opposition. May everything that will happen today be for your own good. Amen
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