Listen.

"What language shall I borrow to thank you, dearest Friend,

for this, your dying sorrow, your mercy without end?
Lord, make me yours forever, a loyal servant true, 

and let me never, never outlive my love for you."

It was on Tuesday that Jesus' authority was questioned. And, it was on Tuesday that Jesus spoke up for himself.

In the midst of this week, we find ourselves so distracted from the events of this day, so many years ago. Yet, we are intimately connected...

We question Jesus' authority every day.

In small ways...
     and big ways...
without thinking about it...
    without stopping to listen

to the persistent voice of Jesus.

We do our own thing
    walk away from his will
go days without praying
    or reading his word...

On Friday we will claim Jesus as our own.

We will claim that the sacrifice

We will claim the authority derived from the sacrifice

We will claim the fully human and fully divine act on the cross... we will claim it as ours.


Yet.

our lives will remain driven by our own voice, instead of the voice of the cross... the voice of the sacrifice.  our lives will be run on our authority.


And so, as we approach the darkest hour, knowing what comes beyond the darkness, can we challenge ourselves to take an extra minute--an extra ten minutes--and listen?

Listen.

To the voice of Jesus from the cross... for that voice is supposed to drive our lives. That voice is supposed to frame our every movement.

That voice is supposed to claim authority.

On Tuesday, Jesus stood up for his authority. And he stands up for it today. He speaks to us in many different ways.

We just need to listen.