My heart in the hand of the Lord

Today’s first reading, Proverbs 21: 1-6, 10-13, opens with the following statement:  “Like a stream is the king’s heart in the hand of the Lord; wherever it pleases him, he directs it.” I suggest that we rewrite that  as a personal statement and prayer: “Like a stream is my heart in the hand of the Lord; wherever it pleases God, may I allow the Lord to direct it.”   Obviously, we have an example in Jesus, the Son of God made man, whose heart, truly, was like a stream in the hands of His Father. Wherever and whatever the Father willed of Him, Jesus allowed, being obedient even unto death on the cross. It was on Calvary that Jesus’ mission to accomplish the Father’s will—our salvation--was culminated. Resolutely, he repeatedly told his disciples: “I am going up to Jerusalem” (cf. Mt. 20:18).

How difficult at times to “go up to the Jerusalems” of my life, to embrace the difficult assignments, to follow the Lord’s lead when, for example, I may be asked to engage in direct communication with a person whose behaviors  have been troubling to me. It is so easy to talk behind a person’s back than addressing the issue face to face with the person from whom “the problem” originated.  

This challenge to “go up to Jerusalem”  is addressed so wisely in My Utmost for His Highest  in today’s meditation:  “….Nothing ever diverted our Lord on His way to Jerusalem. He never hurried through certain villages where He was persecuted, or lingered in others where He was blessed. Neither gratitude nor ingratitude turned our Lord even the slightest degree away from His purpose to go “up to Jerusalem”.  Only when I go  to “Jerusalem” will I experience resurrection, new life, the power of transformation and interior freedom.  As it Jesus, sometimes I will be thanked and at other times “cursed.” That is not the point. The point is becoming one with the will of My Father to love as He does!