Our traveler is confused and angry. He does not understand. He looks around and can find no one to speak to who could stop what was happening. All those who stood around were laughing and taunting. In the distance our traveler can make out a figure of great power, the man whom had told him of his meeting on the rooftop with the Messiah, Nicodemus. Yet, when he begins to walk toward him oir traveler sees that the man no longer looks like one of power. He looks tired and worn. His eyes turn on our traveler and he shakes his head. There is nothing he can do. In desperation our traveler runs toward the cross. Determined that he will tear the horrible thing from the ground with his bare hands and save his King himself. But as he draws near he sees that there is nothing he can do. Now, there is nothing anyone can do.
John 19:28-37 ESV
[28] After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” [29] A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. [30] When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. [31] Since it was the day of Preparation, and so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away. [32] So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him. [33] But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. [34] But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water. [35] He who saw it has borne witness—his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth—that you also may believe. [36] For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken.” [37] And again another Scripture says, “They will look on him whom they have pierced.”
The ground shakes and our traveler falls to his knees in the blood and mud around the cross. He takes the gift from his bag. The one he would have given to the Messiah all those years ago, if only he had made it in time. He holds it up.
“This my King…. this is for you. It is the finest linen from my part of this world. There is no linen softer, or made with a finer weave. It should have wrapped you as a child. Now I will give it to those who mourn you, and it can wrap your body for burial. I don’t understand. But as the man says. You must know what you are doing, even in this.”
It seems our traveler is always too late. Like he is forevermore missing his chance. Yet he has anyways been where he was meant to be. We often feel like we have missed our shot. Like we should have been someone else, somewhere else. Like the path we are on is one we would never have chosen for ourselves. Just because we don’t understand does not mean we have gone the wrong way. The path God chooses often feels wrong to us, that’s because the world gives us their opinion on what our lives should look like. Their ideas are not God’s, they could never begin to understand God’s path and will. Just because it feels like we are always too late does not mean we are late at all, it means God is holding us back for something else He has planned. It may not be something greater. Just different. Trust Him and His timing. He knows what He’s doing, even in this.
Carried in the cross 