"Did not Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?" (Luke 24:26).

How long do you give God to work a miracle?

According to the two disciples on the Emmaus road who wanted God to redeem Israel, three days is too long.

We can perhaps relate to the disciples' expectations. We are often in a hurry, and we want miracles or things to happen immediately. We have our own timetable for God to work; maybe we even have our own version of Messiah.

Today, let us recognise the important truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ: there is no short cut to glory. The message of the cross must be central in our life of discipleship and ministry. The apostle Paul resolved to preach Christ and him crucified.

In our life's journey, let us ask the Lord for His grace so that we will learn to embrace suffering in a world that so often stresses on comfort and convenience.

Let us follow God's timetable and trust the true Saviour of our lives. Jesus loves us, serves us, and walks the way of the cross, and gives his life for us (see Mark 10:45; Galatians 2:20). So He knows what is best for us.

Today, Jesus calls us to take up the cross and follow him. But this life is also both a life of pain and joy. May we always remember if there is no cross, there will be no crown. If there is no pain and death, there will be no life.

Prayer:

Lord, grant us your grace to respond to this life's principle from your Word, "Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds" (John 12:24). Amen.