Welcome to day 22 of Journey to the Cross, a forty-day devotional leading to Easter. Today we look at the final significant place along Jesus’s journey to the cross.

While going up to Jerusalem, Jesus took the twelve disciples aside privately and said to them on the way, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem. The Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death. They will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked, flogged, and crucified, and on the third day he will be raised.”

Matthew 20:17-19

Many times names have significance. The name Chicago comes from a Native American word that means “wild onion” or “wild garlic.” Apparently, Chicago was known for its spices or toppings long before it was known for its pizza. Minneapolis combines another Native American word for “water” with the Greek word for “city” as a tribute to its many lakes and waterways. Chandler was named after Judge George Chandler, First Assistant Secretary of the Interior when the town-site was established in 1891. To our south is the city of Shawnee, named after the native American tribe.

The holy city of Israel, its capital Jerusalem, means “city of peace” in Hebrew. It was not a city of peace for Jesus, but it is the city in which Jesus brought us peace. Jesus knew what awaited Him in Jerusalem. He knew that the city of peace would be the city of His death. His journey took him to a cross just outside the city walls. But by going to that city and to that cross, Jesus made peace with God possible for sinners like you and me. Anyone who repents of their sin and calls upon the name of the Lord Jesus will be saved. In Christ, we become peacemakers, so that everywhere we go can be a place of peace.

God sent the Savior He promised to a specific time and place. Likewise, God has sent you to a specific time and place with a specific purpose. Today think about the five places you frequent most often. How can you spread the love and peace of Christ in those places?

Today as you pray, say something like: “Father God, thank You for the peace You have given us through Your Son Jesus. Father, I need Your peace restored in my life. By Your Spirit, make me an agent of peace in the lives of my family, my church, and my community. Amen.”

Thank you for joining me for day 22. Come back tomorrow as we begin discussing persistence in the journey.