
What if you knew you had one last day? What would you do?
The Thursday of Holy Week is Jesus' last day of freedom before his arrest, death, burial, resurrection, and post-resurrection life. And as I have been studying Mark I wanted to look at this day and see what Jesus did with that day.
Now I understand that Jesus was purposeful his entire life and wouldn't just leave everything important for the last day. However, we cannot deny the significance of every action going on during this week of his life.
So what does Jesus do on this final day. He eats with his disciples. He may still wreak of perfume, but they have sat down to eat. Through great hospitality they are all relaxed and in a rare moment that is without tension, Jesus shares with them what will take place through betrayal. He gives them a new outlook on some familiar eating elements. And they sing together. It is an intimate time they spend together being family and soaking up some last hours as good friends should and do.
One of the other things that Jesus does is pray. He spends his last hours, knowing what is coming to be in the beauty of the garden and praying that his father's will take the lead in all things even against his flesh that will want to cry out and ask for rescue. In the eye of the storm, Jesus is shoring up his foundation. And knowing that God can do all things he pleads his request for another way, but in all things desires God's plan to be carried out above his own.
That evening Jesus is arrested and with a rushed and mocking trial will be crucified the following day. It will be a long night, but before all of that can take place Jesus eats with his friends and prays with his father. It just goes to show you what is important to God and what should be important to us as well.