When a wayward child wanders far from home, how does a loving parent continue to pursue them without driving them farther away? When we wander from God, he always keeps his door open for us. Not only that, he lovingly pursues sinners in ways that make them long for home. Today we see how God has mapped out a very specific route for getting his children to the glory prepared for them. As it did with Jesus, that route takes us through opposition, suffering, and death. While our human nature may cause us to want to take a detour around these things, Jesus’ own life shows us that no detour is allowed. His cross came before his crown. The same path lies ahead of us.