They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.”

Devotion based on Mark 9:30,31

When my children were little, I loved cuddling up with them on the couch with a big bowl of popcorn for movie nights. Oh, those were the good ol’ days! I loved watching them as they held their breath with uncertainty as one of their heroes dangled in a perilous situation, wondering if he would make it through unscathed—which he always did! After all, these were kids’ movies we were watching! But now and then, when things got a little too scary, I would hold them tight and assure them that everything would be okay.

At this time, it was easy for the disciples to follow Jesus. Jesus was popular—crowds flocked to see him! Jesus was powerful—he healed the sick, walked on water, and even raised the dead!

But his followers didn’t know that times were about to get rather scary. The disciples were about to see one of their own betray Jesus. They were going to see Jesus subdued by soldiers and put to death.

That’s why Jesus wanted to assure them that everything would be okay. Jesus wanted to assure them that everything was under his control. So, he told them what would happen—not only that he would die, but also that he would rise!

Life might feel out of control for you right now. And it might be difficult to make any kind of semblance of a plan. But remember, Jesus had a plan to rescue you and me from death and was in control of it all. That’s the kind of hero, the kind of Savior you have—one with a plan! And he’ll lead you through this week every step of the way! It’s all under control.

Prayer: