As I have been so encouraged, invigorated and refreshed in spending a "thoughtful hour" upon the life of Jesus, I am so happy to reflect on how heaven chose to encourage Jesus before He would go to Gethsemane and Calvary--Moses and Elijah were sent because of a shared experience. While angels who have never sinned love us, the closest, most meaningful interactions we have are with others who understand our deep soul yearning for the salvation of the lost and the desire to see the plan of salvation come to its final fruition. Oh, let us look to Jesus and find in Him the hope and strength that we need, and in being transformed by His grace, we may in turn be an encouragement to Jesus! Do you realize that?! By being thoroughly converted and receiving a new heart and a new mind from Jesus, sharing the trials allowed by God to give you a shared experience in which all of the fruits of the Spirit without one missing continue to become richer and more abundant, you have the privilege of adding to the joy of Jesus who went to Calvary to make possible the relational intimacy that He desires to have with you even now! What a high calling and privilege! Often we think about whether we will wake up early and spend time reading the Bible and beholding Jesus from the perspective of whether it will help us, but let us realize that as we become transformed more fully into the image of Christ, our experience in turn brings encouragement to the heart of Jesus who is now interceding for us in the sanctuary above! Jesus is soon to return in power and great glory, but before He does, He SO LONGS to see us sharing His same love for the lost and experiencing His same ministry and life pattern! What a blessing that we may, as Psalm 103:1 says, "Bless the LORD, O my soul"!!!
"But before the crown must come the cross. Not the inauguration of Christ as king, but the decease to be accomplished at Jerusalem, is the subject of their conference with Jesus. Bearing the weakness of humanity, and burdened with its sorrow and sin, Jesus walked alone in the midst of men. As the darkness of the coming trial pressed upon Him, He was in loneliness of spirit, in a world that knew Him not. Even His loved disciples, absorbed in their own doubt and sorrow and ambitious hopes, had not comprehended the mystery of His mission. He had dwelt amid the love and fellowship of heaven; but in the world that He had created, He was in solitude. Now heaven had sent its messengers to Jesus; not angels, but men who had endured suffering and sorrow, and who could sympathize with the Saviour in the trial of His earthly life. Moses and Elijah had been colaborers with Christ. They had shared His longing for the salvation of men. Moses had pleaded for Israel: 'Yet now, if Thou wilt forgive their sin--; and if not, blot me, I pray Thee, out of Thy book which Thou hast written.' Exodus 32:32. Elijah had known loneliness of spirit, as for three years and a half of famine he had borne the burden of the nation's hatred and its woe. Alone he had stood for God upon Mount Carmel. Alone he had fled to the desert in anguish and despair. These men, chosen above every angel around the throne, had come to commune with Jesus concerning the scenes of His suffering, and to comfort Him with the assurance of the sympathy of heaven. The hope of the world, the salvation of every human being, was the burden of their interview." {The Desire of Ages, page 422, paragraph 2}
As were are "Marching to Zion" with Jesus today, may we never forget the cost of our salvation. The price is so great that we will never fully realize what Jesus has done for us until we are in heaven, realizing that He left heaven and all its glory to be our Brother, our Sacrifice, our Husband (of the church, as we are His bride), and thus we will have the "off the charts" privilege of spending eternity with Jesus! Oh, may we consider it a privilege to bear trial and tribulation for His dear sake, going where He sends us and living in harmony with His law of love by a true, heartfelt, affectionate obedience!!!