PERHAPS HE SAW THEM, BUT I THINK NOT

BY

Laura Lee Christian


The Savior,
driven from the waterside
where He was baptized by Saint John.
Oh precious moment,
when the Father spoke
His clear words
to His attentive ears.
The precious voice
that often lay upon His ears
in ages past
before eternity.
Knit and entwined in love
with His Father's presence,
now the Spirit of Grace
drives Him out into the wilderness
of Judea,
to be among beasts
and the wild creatures
for His appointed time,
without food or distractions.
Fully mature in His manhood.
He had grown strong and well.
He had accepted all responsibilities and duties
to His family, synagogue and community.
Now He was ready to launch out on His own.
His childhood memories like music,
always played in the back of His mind.
Here, alone with God
He calmed His soul
and got the big picture,
of what God the Father wanted Him to do.
Seemingly unending hours were spent
in His still presence.
His mind became as clear as as undisturbed
mountain pond,
shining blue under the blueness of the sky,
and the whitened peaks reflecting
as a mirror on its glassy surface.
The meaning and the purpose
of God's plan to send Him to the
earth
took shape,
more, and more vividly.
His future death,
and the careful choosing of His
twelve disciples
lay before Him as a map.
He knew His enemy too,
but He had His sword in hand,
the sword, which had been
finely and carefully
sharpened
with hours and hours of thoughtful study
which had begun when He was just young
and had continued to the day of His baptism.
He knew the blessed, holy, written
Word of God
by heart
inside,
outside,
upside down side,
prophesys,
warnings,
laws,
history,
teachings,
commands,
songs,
poetry,
and praises.
Because, you know, He became like us.
He had no other way
to know His Father God
and understand His heart,
His loving heart and perfect will,
the history of His people,
and promises to be fulfilled,
the promise of the blessed Messiah
of whom He knew He was.
The 53rd chapter of Isaiah
put in perfect harmony,
the price He had to pay
and the Lamb He had to be.

So on He walked through dust and stones,
protected by the Father and a million or more
unseen angels,
or perhaps He sometimes saw them,
but I think not.
