He could take the easy way out. To him it seemed obvious: the marriage was failing. But he knew that he had made a commitment: thick and thin and all of that. Now it was definitely thin. And the easy way out was through the front door. Would he do it? Would he waver in his commitment to a marriage that he knew had its problems? But couldn’t those problems be resolved? Couldn’t they be fixed? Doesn’t commitment mean to at least try? He tossed and turned in indecision. Dawn was approaching. The hour of commitment had come.

The dawn of Christ’s death was approaching. Was he committed to it? Was he resolved to bear the sins of mankind? Or would he take the easy way out? Of course we know the answer. We wouldn’t be here today, talking about Christ’s commitment if he hadn’t set his face like flint toward Jerusalem, and walked that lonely path to Golgotha.

John 20, "Jesus answered them, 'The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified...Now my soul is troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, this is the reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!' A voice came from heaven: 'I have glorified my name, and I will glorify it again.'"

We follow in the dusty trail of the cross. As Christ went, so must we. And we often ask ourselves: could there be an easier way; could we take the easy way out? Only you can answer that question, but I’m guessing if you’re like me, you’re not proud of the answer. Our commitment is pretty shaky at times. Faced with temptation the easy way is often the one we choose. But dawn is approaching. The hour has come to be committed. And thankfully, Christ’s commitment becomes ours, and his crucifixion enables our praise.