“Jesus answered, ‘My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom of not of this world.’”- John 18:36. 

Jesus repeats a similar phrase three times: my kingdom is not of this world. He explains that if it were, his servants would be fighting like contenders in an athletic event. Instead, his disciples were surrendered to God’s will, that Jesus would die on the cross for the sins of the world. Sometimes, even the best athletes must surrender to an outcome they can’t control to see their teammates do their best. Similarly, the disciples could not control God’s will but were willing to let go of their sense of control so that Jesus could fulfill his purposes on earth and in heaven. Often, in the Christian life, we are called to surrender to God, trusting his will, even when we can’t see the outcome.

Photo Credit: Paul Bradbury