I stopped at the first station.

Its Good Friday, the Lord invites me to the cross. But, I just don't want to go there - to the cross. I can
go through the motions, say the prayers, whatever - but no one can make me go there - to the cross. I can think about my own cross(es) and splinters (mostly splinters), and I can feel sorry for other people, I can even THINK about the cross - a lot. But, I don't have to go there. I don't have to be stripped down, and vulnerable to his pain, his love.

Emotional. Spiritual. Intellectual. Breathtaking.

The Lord says, why? If I don't wash your feet, you can't be part of my Kingdom. If you don't let me love you, you won't know what love is. Oh. OK. I begin the walk.

He begins, love is:

1. accepting even death, but also ridicule, scorn, hatred, apparent failure, and condemnation.

Then, I tripped. The Lord may have wanted to go all fourteen, but I realize that I couldn't get past this first station. Am I ready to be considered a failure? Am I ready to be ridiculed, always truthful, but never defensive? Am I ready to be condemned, avoided, and scorned? I need go no further. I am not ready to fail - in the eyes of the world, in the eyes of those I love, in my own self-esteem. I'm not ready to succeed in the eyes of God.

This is why I haven't made it along the way of the cross. This is why I can't bare the sight of love on the Cross, because I am not ready to be that kind of success.

Jesus smiles. My ridiculous child, you don't have to be - that's the whole point - I am that success. You just have to follow. Together, we walked Calvary, for you were my reason. Now, I ask that you allow Me to be YOUR reason.

Come. Let's go.