Would you care to explain?

Luke 18:31

Jesus Foretells His Death a THIRD Time:

So I'm reading this passage and I'm thinking, why does Jesus explain this again, I mean you would think that they would have gotten it by now.  But look at verse 34, "But they understood none of these things.  This saying was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what was said."

It says "This saying was hidden from them".  Why would Jesus take time to explain something so important to his disciples if he KNEW they would not understand it? What is the point?

I think about my life (I am a thinker). And if I am having a bad day and someone asks me about it, I just shrug them off.  Why? Well, because all day I have already thought through my situation so many times, at many different angles, so it is emotionally exhausting for me to have to explain it to someone unless they are part of the solution, unless they will completely UNDERSTAND.  If I know they won't, then I just don't waste my time.  I just give it to God and I feel like this is energy efficient for me. But in the passage above, Christ is inefficient with his emotional energy.  Here me out.  He cared enough to go through this explanation of the day he will die for the world, knowing that it will be hidden from them!

For a long time, I blamed the disciples, they are so stupid, why do they not understand?! But it was not their fault, it was hidden from them.  This, to me, is a great illustration.  This illustrates to me that I should not shut down and not have community just because it is emotionally exhausting sometimes.  But there is a bigger picture to this.

This shows us a picture of the God we serve.  Jesus explains to them when he knows they won't understand.  God calls us, even when He knows we won't go.  He reveals things to us, when He knows we won't understand them.  He talks to us, when He knows we won't listen.  Why? Because He loves us so much, that He is in a constant pursuit of us. Beautiful.

Have you ever been in a relationship of unrequited love? I have.  I feel like God brings us through those trials to show us just a GLIMPSE of what it feels like to Him when we reject Him.  Of course, this is only a glimpse, because I never died for anyone, nor did I conquer death for anyone and have them not care about me.  It hurts just to be in love with someone who doesn't feel the same way, we will never understand.  (1 Corinthians 9:13) But that is o.k. because the substance belongs to Christ (Colossians 2:17).

Be still today and acknowledge that He is constantly pursuing you, His beloved.