22 As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men, 23 and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day.” And they were greatly distressed. (Matthew 17)
Most of us know that feeling: having an extremely exciting and memorable experience that makes us feel on top of the world, only to "come back to reality" and get some distressing news. That's the way it was for he disciples. Added to the mountaintop experience of the inner three was the miracle Jesus had done that none of them were able to do, along with the recent realization the Jesus is the Christ. They were on a roll, and they all knew they were headed toward Jerusalem. As they gather to prepare for the trip, they were ready to hear the plan: how Jesus would be presented and received as King. Instead, He tells them that He will be rejected, betrayed, and killed. Though the resurrection is now regularly included in the string of events, it goes over their head. They cannot get beyond Jesus' insistence that He will be dead. They are so distressed it makes them unable to see the positive in anything or find any reason to hope. Maybe you feel that way today: greatly distressed, deeply troubled. Look beyond; see the rest of the story; know that God has a plan that does not end in hopelessness, despair, or death, but joy, purpose and abundant, eternal life.
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