“²⁷And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink of it, all of you, ²⁸for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.’” Matthew 26:27-28 (ESV)

Every time I partake in the sacrament of Holy Communion, my mind and heart centers on the portable Old Testament tabernacle in the wilderness. I shut my eyes, and my mind enters the tent. I am moving from east to west as a pilgrim.

First, I visualize the burnt offering which holds the perfect specimen, the sin offering which burns on the altar. I “see” my Lord and Savior dying on the altar-cross. My heart reels, and again I am awe-struck and shocked. It is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

Moving west, I spy the center bronze laver, a mirrored laver which is the beautiful Old Testament expression of dying to self. I remember the priests of old had to wash their hands and feet here. They must be “pure.” I feel sorrow for my sins, confess them, and pray for forgiveness. The following verse refocuses me with assurance of forgiveness. “And he touched my mouth and said: ‘Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.’” Isaiah 6:7 (ESV)

My inward eyes travel to the curtain that shields the holy place. Lifting the heavy curtain, I see light to my left. The light comes from the golden lampstand which holds seven lamps. It symbolizes the Holy Spirit’s work. Yes, Jesus is the Light of the world Who shines in my heart via the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit.

Turning to my right, I see the table of shewbread. Approaching this table, the twelve cakes remind me of the tribes/apostles and the Bread of Life, my Lord. There is frankincense, a memorial of my Lord’s death and His everlasting covenant.

Turning, I gaze westward toward the center and see the altar of burning incense where intercessory prayer is made by the High Priest, Jesus. I know that only my Savior has access to God the Father, and He can intercede for me.

Beyond this altar is the veil. My eyes are veiled to God’s glory. This veil is Christ’s blood. God tore that veil at Christ’s crucifixion so believers could approach the Holy God.

Can I now go forward into the most holy place? I hear the words of invitation to partake of the bread and wine with my Lord and all believers around me. My heart sings with thanksgiving to the Godhead as I partake in the sacrament of Holy Communion.
—Jo Youst

“⁷So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. ⁸Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. ⁹But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. ¹⁰For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 (ESV)

I do not claim to have experienced even a fraction of the suffering of Paul, nor have I received revelations that might cause me to be conceited. I struggle to remember that whatever good things I have or accomplish come from God, and so I can identify with Paul’s temptation to become conceited. So God has given me a thorn to remind me to depend on Him. In November, I started having some symptoms that I recognized. I saw my doctor just before Christmas, and he confirmed what I already knew—I am diabetic . . . and not just a little bit. The disease had developed very quickly and severely. The good news is that, though I still have a way to go, I have made progress with the aggressive treatment my doctor planned.

I am learning that this thorn has repercussions far beyond eating and exercising. Diabetes requires discipline where you cannot let up—ever—or you suffer physical consequences, either immediately or in the long term. There are some spiritual connections here. God is helping me to rely on Him more fully and to give Him the glory for progress in managing this new part of my life. God is helping me to see it not as an intrusion, but rather as an opportunity to trust Him on a daily basis.

My first reaction to diabetes was to think only about the things I had to give up. God is teaching me to find joy in the discipline I must exercise. I see now that my whole life is in His hands—body and soul. So while I, like Paul, will plead for the thorn to be removed, I hope that I, like Paul, can truly say that I am content with weaknesses and that God’s grace is sufficient. The power of the One, who died on the cross for me, is made perfect in my weakness. What greater privilege is there than this?
—Colleen Grogan

“When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem.” Luke 9:51 (ESV)

I love the imagery of setting one’s face to something. It conveys a focus and determination that is almost ineffable. When boxers take instructions in the center of the ring before a match, they stare at their opponent without blinking or turning their heads. They intend to show no fear or distraction, only resolve.

In 1993, I got to see the rematch between Evander Holyfield and Riddick Bowe. On the off-chance that not everyone reading this is a boxing fan, this fight became known as the “Fan Man Fight.” In the middle of the seventh round, a para-glider dropped into the ring, causing a 20-minute delay. During the delay, both fighters put on their robes and walked around their corner of the ring, making every effort to stay focused. They did not look at the cause of the disturbance, the crowd, or their opponent. They looked down and paced, almost like lions waiting to be turned loose.

There have been seasons in my life that have required resolve. Sometimes I have found myself in situations not of my choosing that I had to get through with God’s help. Other times, I thought I knew what I was getting into, only to become overwhelmed with unforeseen complications. I believe Peter was sincere when he vowed to stand by Jesus no matter what; but when the going got tough, he did not. I do not say that to disparage Peter. I have no doubt that he lasted longer than I would have. The king of Israel answered, “. . . Tell him: ‘One who puts on his armor should not boast like one who takes it off.’” 1 Kings 20:11 (NIV®) Battles rarely go as neatly as planned.

Jesus is different. When He set His face to go to Jerusalem, He was not naïve. He knew what awaited Him. He was not boastful. He knew what needed to be done, and He did it. Satan set his face against Him, and when the sun had set on that Friday night, maybe Satan thought he had won. The bell had not yet sounded; and when it did, the serpent’s head was crushed.

So here I stand, trying to set my face to the tasks that God gives me. I have more bruises than trophies and enough failures to keep me from boasting. Yet I cling to Him, who has taken off His armor and sits at the right hand of the Father. His enemies are His footstool. “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” 1 Corinthians 15:55 (NIV®)
—Dave Matre

“18Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me . . . 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’” Matthew 28:18,20 (NIV®)

I struggle with authority. I know more about my will. His Scripture tells us so much about our will when it is not under His authority. His authority is the one I trust most, and it guides me in trusting human authority. My heart remains too much in the dark. My life has been a process of moving out of that dark. He has guided me for about 35 years of steady, slow growth with greater strength and commitment.

Knowing the reality of the changes, which I call healing/forgiveness of sin, has made His reality experientially real. All of me knows the God, who is Priest, King, and Prophet. The fact that His Word and its power, through the Spirit, has been the one legitimate foundation for understanding and absorbing who He is, brings reassurance.

Man, on the other hand, continually presents a struggle for me with the meaning of the Word. Many are the human understandings of it. Have you looked at the listings for “Churches” in the phone book lately? They all have teaching. Giving grace to others of different beliefs but similar commitment comes as a place where I refine my understanding. I need this process. I learn from it. When Christ says, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” I rely on the truth stated there. Reading the Word, searching the wise words of others, prayer, worship, and the belief that He has the very depth of my heart are key elements on which I depend in my relationship to the living God, who is with me at all times. As I continue to journey toward Him, it is His “authority in heaven and on earth” and the promise that He is with me, which brings relevance, challenge, and deepening love for Him and others into my life. There can be no better way.
—Sue Crosset

“⁵Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; ⁶in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3: 5-6 (NIV®)

Solomon writes an incredible promise and reminder of God’s great love and compassion for us. Believers will tell of times when they had to stop and trust that God would straighten out a difficult situation. God often uses really difficult times to get our attention and learn the truth of His Word. Sometimes God uses a moment in another person’s life to get our attention.

In the summer of 1992, Derek Redmond was competing in the Olympic Games in Barcelona. He was a sprinter for the Olympic team from the United Kingdom. In Barcelona, he was working his way through the usual preliminary heats for the individual 400 meter race. In spite of several injuries prior to the games, he was confident that he was at his peak. In the semi-final heat, he started well and was on “cruise control” coming down the back stretch 250 meters from the finish. Nobody anticipated what happened next.

Suddenly, Derek felt an incredible, mind-numbing pain in his calf muscle that brought him from an all-out, full-throttle run to a hobbling breakdown. Screaming out in pain, he at first thought he had been shot! Nothing made any sense. He could not imagine the possibility that his body had failed. In the next seconds, he realized the truth. The muscles in his calf were torn apart, but he would not quit. He waved off the medical trainers, who had rushed to his aid, and slowly, painfully, began to limp toward the finish line, determined to finish what he came to do. With 100 meters to go, he brushed away a hand that he felt on his shoulder, knowing that any assistance would disqualify him completely; but the arm around him remained strong and held him up. It was his father, Jim Redmond, who had pushed past security personnel to reach his son. Then, in front of a standing ovation by 65,000 spectators and millions more watching on television, Derek Redmond, leaning on his father and weeping openly, finished the race. He never raced again.

Some Christians say that Derek Redmond’s story and video replay captures their attention and reminds them of exactly what God did for us at the cross. While we were totally helpless and could not possibly do anything to change the condition of our soul, God came and took it all upon Himself. Thanks be to God for His mercy and forgiveness! May He give us the power and confidence to trust Him every day.
—Jack Young

“‘ ¹⁰Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.’ ¹¹But Moses said to God, ‘Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?’ ¹²He said, ‘But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.’” Exodus 3:10-12 (ESV)

Have you ever been asked to do something that you know you are not equipped or prepared to do? When this happens to me, the initial thought that goes through my mind is, “Are you crazy? You know I can’t do that!” Most times, I will keep this thought to myself and simply ask for time to weigh my options and pray about it.

One such occurrence happened in June 2002. Angi and I were really quite comfortable living in Denver. We were established in our jobs, had many good friends, and were deeply committed to our church there. Then one Tuesday morning, my boss gave me a choice to make. I could either move to Cincinnati or receive a lucrative severance package. My first reaction was to ask myself—“Who am I that I should go to Cincinnati?” I took a long lunch away from the office with Angi that day. We decided to ask our families and close friends to join us in praying that the Lord would reveal what He would have us do. After a series of “open doors,” it became abundantly clear that we were to relocate to Cincinnati.

To some degree, I can relate to Moses as recorded in Exodus 3:7-14. God gave Moses a mission, to lead Israel out of bondage in Egypt. What was Moses’ reaction? “Who am I that I should go . . . ?” realizing this was a task that was beyond his capabilities. Moses asks God whom should he say is sending him? God grants Moses his request and reveals His name. The fascinating thing is that Moses had just asked, “Who am I?” God tells Moses His name using those same three words, “. . . I AM WHO I AM. . .” Exodus 3:14 (ESV) Moses is qualified for this mission, not because of who he is, but because I AM sent him.

This Lenten season, give thanks that God sent Christ Jesus to free His people from their bondage to sin—One who was eminently qualified to complete that mission.
—Harvey Landholm

“¹¹Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; . . . ¹²let the field exult, and everything in it! Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy ¹³before the LORD, for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth.” Psalm 96:11-13a (ESV)

If Advent is considered a time to meditate on the Lord’s first coming, then Lent could be considered a time to meditate on the Lord’s crucifixion, burial, and resurrection. Trying to personalize what He did for humanity and also the way these events affected all of His creation can be a challenge.

I have found sacred music to be one of the most powerful tools available. “O Sacred Head Now Wounded” is extremely thought-provoking and also reassuring. This hymn, based on a Latin poem written during the Middle Ages, addresses questions and fears I may have today while providing a detailed depiction of Christ’s crucifixion. One of the newer songs that has given me a whole fresh perspective on His resurrection is Sandi Patty’s song, “Was It a Morning Like This.” Until I heard this song, I had never given much thought to God’s entire creation being impacted by the joyful resurrection of Jesus.

A week before His crucifixion, Jesus said if we failed to praise Him, then the stones would cry out (Luke 19:40). Indeed, while His followers remained silent and others mocked Him as He died on that cross, the earth shook and the rocks were split (Matthew 27:51). He had spoken the earth into existence, and the earth shuddered at His horrendous death.

It is wonderful to speculate about the earth rejoicing at feeling Jesus walking once again on the ground. The song also makes me wonder, how joyful was the Lord on that Easter morning, after perspiring blood in the garden in anticipation of taking on the sins of all time? After accomplishing this act, He once again looked out over His creation, now that His work to save us and reconcile us to His Father was finished. He could enjoy the beauty, free from the dread of being separated for even a short time from His Father.

Thanks to Jesus, I, too, can enjoy the beauty of His creation, including music, free from the fear of being separated from God!
—Sharon McEnaney

“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20 (ESV)

I grew up knowing that I would one day be called, “Mommy.” My mother played an important role in my life, and I knew I wanted to be just like her. After Ray and I had been married five years, I became pregnant. All my hopes and dreams would finally be fulfilled.

After only nine weeks of motherhood, I miscarried. The miscarriage devastated me. Well-meaning family and friends offered what they thought were encouraging words by saying that I would soon be pregnant again. Well, I did not get pregnant soon. In fact, it would be more than three years before I would again be a mom.

For those next three years, I found myself focusing more of my identity on becoming a mommy. I should be a mom. I deserved to be a mom. A mom is what I always thought I would be. Mother’s Day and baby showers were no longer events that I enjoyed. Why would I? After all, it seemed that God was not letting me be a mom, even as He was blessing friends and family around me with motherhood!

This “mommy identity focus” finally reached a climax one Sunday morning in December of 1998. I sat listening to our former pastor preach a sermon I felt that God had written specifically for me. Pastor Rick spoke of identity in Christ not as an issue of self-denial, but denial of self. I ran from the room to the bathroom and sat on the floor and cried.

After church, Pastor Rick saw my need to talk. He met with me several times to help me realize that I was looking for my identity in being a mom and not in Christ. After many months, I was actually able to stand up in church and thank God for my miscarriage. He taught me to have a personal time with Him, and He began teaching me to seek my identity in Him and not in who or what I was.

This story has a happy ending. The Lord blessed us with Nicole three years after my miscarriage and later with Andrew and Noelle. My wilderness journey was over; and just as with Israel, the journey was worth it. I am now blessed to be called, “Mommy.”
—Michelle Nephew

“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.” Psalm 19:14 (ESV)

When contemplating what to write for this devotion, I had little success until I awakened one morning with this on my mind and asked the Lord for guidance.

I recalled an occasion when Judy and I were driving my mother from St. Albans, West Virginia, to her home in Racine, Ohio. Our trip took about 90 minutes. Mother loved to talk, so we heard about what was happening with my eleven siblings. I remember, late in the trip, Judy and I looked at each other and smiled, realizing Mom had not stopped talking since we left St. Albans.

My daughter, Stacey, reminds me of my mother. Not only is the resemblance startling, she also has the same communication “gift.” When Stacey was very young, we were in church, and we admonished her to be quiet. Her response to this admonition was, “But, Mom, I have a lot of words in my mouth.”

Some years ago, I had the opportunity to work near Mom’s home. As a result, I stayed overnight with her on several trips. During those visits, Mom was always talking to me, even if I was in another room. Her evening would end by watching the 11:00 news.

One night, I went to bed early—with Mom still talking to me. I heard her go to bed but could still hear her talking! I thought she was talking to me, so I went to see if she needed anything. As I approached her bedroom, I realized she was praying. It was so beautiful I could not help myself from sitting in the hallway by her door and listening. On subsequent visits, I again looked forward to listening to her prayers. She began by praying for her eldest child, Annabelle, her spouse and children, and continued until all twelve families had received prayer.

Several years later, I related this story as a part of her eulogy to let her children and grandchildren know that, if they had received some blessings in life for which they had not asked, they may, perhaps, have been the result of the many prayers Mom had offered for them. A month or so following Mom’s passing, one of my sisters called to inform me that one of her sons had given his life to Christ after hearing about his grandmother’s prayers for him.

This has been difficult to write through the tears and fond memories of past times. It brings to mind the words of a country gospel song, If I Could Hear My Mother Pray Again. What a blessing!
—Otto Jarrell

Ephesians 6:10-20.
“. . . praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints . . . ” Ephesians 6:18 (ESV)

As most of you know or have seen in church, Allison is always with me. She is my best friend (BFF means best friends forever), and I would not do anything without her. If we are doing something in youth group or have to do something in groups, we are a package deal and cannot do anything without each other. She is the person I go to with all of my problems—if I have to make a huge decision or ask a serious question. I am always texting her, talking to her on the phone, or writing on her wall on facebook. We probably hang out every other weekend, or more. Everyone in my family considers her a part of our family.

Being a part of God’s family is more important to me. I have gone on an emotional roller coaster with Him. I have had many problems in my life—not as huge as some people have like a serious or terminal illness. I have been bullied at school, have been abused at school, had severe acne problems, and am really very shy. God has helped me deal with all of my “big” problems.

I try to pray to Him as much as possible. “¹⁶Rejoice always, ¹⁷pray continually, ¹⁸give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV®) Some days I forget, but no one is perfect; and I think I have a pretty strong relationship with Him. Everyone should pray to Him because that is how one gets a strong relationship.

“Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4 (ESV)
—Rachel Frazer

“For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” Romans 14:17 (ESV)

Righteousness, peace, and joy—these are our inheritance as believers; and when we are living in them, we experience such happiness. Many in India have lost all of their material possessions due to recent heavy rains. Churches in the Middle East and elsewhere are bombed; and the authorities do not take punitive action. The job market, poor health, or the real estate slump have affected people. Righteousness, peace, and joy are still their inheritance in the midst of genuine tragedy as they trust the goodness of God (2 Peter 1:3). For many of us, the challenges to our inheritance is less dramatic, but real nonetheless. We focus on problems, not the Lord. We are guilty of sin but are not repentant, or we suffer from a lack of vision.

When we are plagued with anxiety or general crabbiness, our first wise choice is to stop it. The song “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus” is good advice. May I suggest music as one of many options to drawing close to God. Our Director of Music, Steve Aldredge, does a great job of giving us both contemporary and traditional music in our congregational singing; and hopefully we are learning the music. Most of us utilize CD’s and maybe a hymnal. On-line retailer, Amazon, sells “Celebration Hymnal” (my favorite) for less than ten dollars, including shipping. When our children lived at home, all of us had hymn booklets. This was important in training them to sing harmony, but also to experience worship and to memorize music.

Unrepentant sin kills communion with God. Praise God, the Holy Spirit is still active in convicting us of sin! When confessing sin to God or the person I have offended, it helps me to name the wrong motivation which led to the sin as well as the sin.

When all is going well, but God seems distant, our joy is shallow; and the awareness of kingdom priorities is weak. We are praying in God’s will when we ask for vision (Psalm 25:4-5). Ask what needs to happen for, “your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:10b (ESV) Continue to pray. “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” James 4:8a (ESV) Be encouraged by past stories of God’s faithfulness. This can include writing family stories of God’s providence, reading Christian biographies, and watching videos of grace and truth. Finally, join others in prayer or ask for their prayers; and be blessed by their vision.

Righteousness, peace, and joy—do not let go.
—Ruth Cload

John 13:3-5.
“Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God,” John 13:3 (NIV®)

What is most staggering for me to understand in this foot-washing passage is that Jesus chose to wash the feet of Judas, the very one who would betray Him. After all, He could have waited to wash the disciples’ feet until after Judas left. Jesus chose this act of unprecedented humility, fully knowing what Judas’ betrayal would cost Him. Jesus showed amazing love to the man, who for 30 coins cast aside the privilege of three years of daily life with the incarnate King of Glory.

If I were in the same position, could I do what Jesus did? Life offers me opportunities to take the road of humility, but could I have a godly heart full of love to serve someone who despised me, even wanted me dead?

Verse 3 gives a glimpse of how Jesus could do this unfathomable act of love. Jesus had the complete assurance of three crucial truths. First, He knew that He had the power and authority to do what the Father had sent Him to do. He did not need the approval of others. Second, He knew from where He had come, that bedrock truth that He belonged to the Father and He was only on earth until His work was finished. He knew why He had come—to save the world and reconcile mankind to God. Third, He knew where He was headed. He had the unshakable assurance that He was soon to be restored to the joyous fellowship of His Father in heaven. He knew what the future held for Him.

I do not have complete understanding, but I have enough assurance in my heart that I can also stand on three truths. First, He bore my sins and washed me clean. I belong to Him because of His death and resurrection. Second, I know I have the Spirit within me and that I have been given authority to pray in His name for His purposes to be done on earth as they are in heaven. I am called to be His ambassador to implore people to be reconciled to God. Third, how wondrous to know that heaven awaits! I will join Him and those who have gone before me in sweet fellowship for all eternity. I know where I am headed, too.

I most likely will not face such a test of love as Jesus did, but I pray that I keep my heart rooted in these truths, so I can joyously do whatever might seem so utterly unimaginable to do.
—Laura S. serving in the Middle East

“Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.” Isaiah 53:4 (ESV)

Ah, holy Jesus, how hast thou offended,
that man to judge thee hath in hate pretended?
By foes derided, by thine own rejected,
O most afflicted.

As we look toward Easter, it is always with a little trepidation that we turn to Good Friday. Other days during Holy Week seem easier to celebrate: on Palm Sunday we celebrate Him as earthly King; on Maundy Thursday we commemorate His communion; and, of course, on Easter we worship Him as Lord of the Universe and celebrate His victory over death. On the other hand, Good Friday deals with a topic about which many of us would rather not think—the death of Christ that our sin made necessary.

Who was the guilty? Who brought this upon thee?
Alas, my treason, Jesus, hath undone thee.
‘Twas I, Lord Jesus, I it was denied thee:
I crucified thee.

For many years, it was common practice in Reformed and Evangelical circles to ignore Good Friday altogether, seemingly a collective “looking away” from the agonizing sacrifice God made on our behalf. How can we completely accept His sacrifice if we cannot acknowledge the magnitude of it? Satan used every power he could (even trying to make use of Peter’s devotion to Christ) to keep our Lord from Calvary. Christ’s beseeching prayers in the Garden of Gethsemane reveal that He knew the awfulness of the upcoming sacrifice, even pleading that it be taken away if it were possible; but our Lord (in obedience to the Father) made that sacrifice because of our sin. It should grieve us that it was our sin that led Him to the cross.

Lo, the Good Shepherd for the sheep is offered;
the slave hath sinned, and the Son hath suffered;
for our atonement, while we nothing heedeth,
God intercedeth.

In our grieving, we should keep in mind that, because of His sacrifice, there is no trial, no sadness, no joy, and no temptation that Christ did not experience. Because of what occurred on Good Friday, there is nothing—not even death—that is not covered by our Lord’s willingness to pour out His life on a cross. It is because of this sacrifice that we can look to Easter with the awe-inspiring hope of eternal life.

For me, kind Jesus, was thy incarnation,
thy mortal sorrow, and thy life’s oblation;
thy death of anguish and thy bitter passion,
for my salvation.
—Steve Aldredge

“For thus said the Lord GOD, . . . ‘In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.’ But you were unwilling, . . .” Isaiah 30:15 (ESV)

Lent builds up to “Passion Week.” Its purpose is to encourage believers to slow down and meditate on Jesus’ sacrifice for us, the high point of the Christian year. Traditionally, God-seekers have “fasted” from small pleasures (coffee, television, red meat, or whatever God leads) to remind them of what Jesus sacrificed for us and our necessary hunger for Him.

Recently, I was thinking about the importance of passion in my life. What is passion? Some of the definitions from “The Free Dictionary” include: “1. A powerful emotion, such as love, joy, hatred, or anger. 3. Boundless enthusiasm. 5. The sufferings of Jesus in the period following the Last Supper and including the Crucifixion. 6. Archaic Martyrdom.”

Elijah was filled with passion on Mt. Carmel and confronted the prophets of Baal. After God answered with fire and Elijah killed the prophets of Baal, he nevertheless fled for his life for fear of Jezebel. His inner turmoil and exhaustion kept him from hearing God’s voice until, rested and fed, he quieted his heart in the cave. There he found he had to listen intently and discerningly for God’s “still small voice” (1 Kings 19:11-12). Only then did he discover God’s will for his future.

I believe Christians should be people of passion—loving passion for God and His will. Passion (enthusiasm, sometimes impatience) affects other areas too. For me, this includes eating and riding my 125cc motor scooter. Despite my desire to keep traffic rules, some might say that I drive like Jehu (2 Kings 9:20). However, it was no accident that Jesus, despite knowing He had only three short years to change the world, walked through life at a pace which allowed Him to minister to those He encountered. Perhaps His speed allowed Him to meditate on God’s Word, plan His teaching, and digest the happenings of the day as well.

This year, pressures surround me as I seek God’s will for StorySeed BibleTelling, work on my doctorate in missions, minister in two churches, and prepare for Home Assignment this summer. It is tempting, like Jehu, to lash myself to “full speed ahead.” Might not Lent be a call for me (and for all of us) instead to quiet our hearts before God, to rest in Jesus’ finished work on the cross, and to ask the Holy Spirit to speak peace, love, and trust into our souls? Perhaps this year we can have a “Listening Lent,” then share what God speaks to us in His still small voice.
—Anne Alexander serving with OMF International in Taiwan

“. . . Again he took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him. ³³‘We are going up to Jerusalem,’ he said, ‘and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, ³⁴who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise.’” Mark 10:32c-34 (NIV®)
“As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night.” John 13:30 (NIV®)

During the night, we cannot see where we are going. Sin has the same effect on our minds. It blinds us, making us unable to think clearly. Once we have committed to a sinful course, we feel a sense of urgency, as if we must hurry up and get it done. Some part of us knows that if we stopped to think through the implications of what we are doing, then we would never go through with it.

Judas had all the information that he needed to figure out that leading the priests to Jesus would probably end in Christ’s death at the hands of the Romans. He had even been told in so many words what would happen. At the time, none of the disciples understood what Jesus meant with His warning, so perhaps Judas never realized that this, what he was doing now, was what Jesus meant when He said He would be betrayed. He may have felt fear, but his fear itself would have encouraged him to rush ahead without listening to his quiet, nagging doubts.

We can pity him when we consider his state of mind on that night.

Do you feel uncomfortable with Romans at your back?
Are you thinking this is not exactly what you’d planned?
Are you thinking, this looks bad, but someday soon He’ll see
I was right to use my knowledge of Gethsemane.

Possible you don’t recall what, months ago, He said:
That the Christ must first be killed and then rise from the dead.
In the sacred city He’d be turned in to the priests,
Then to the Gentiles to be killed – do you not feel unease?

Just hours ago He broke the news that He would be betrayed.
You’re certain He did not mean you … but why are you afraid?
If you would only think it through! But you’re set on your track,
Although you look uncomfortable with Romans at your back.

Don’t think about it, Judas.
You’ve begun – now see it through.
There’ll be time for thinking later
When you’re swinging from a noose.

—Jennifer M.

“And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’” Luke 22:19 (ESV)

I wish I could recall the name of the radio pastor I heard say that the Bible can be summed up in one word. The thought was so profound that I wrote it in the front of my Bible and have meditated on it often. The more I grow in my walk with Lord, the more I believe this statement to be true and accurate. It is one of the most beautiful words in the Bible . . . Remember.

The first occurrence of it in Scripture is found in Genesis 8:1, which states God remembered Noah, every living thing, and all the animals that were with Noah in the ark! This after over a half-year of ark-living! I wonder if Noah ever had any doubts.

All through Scripture, we come upon this word repeatedly. At the end of last year, we remembered and celebrated Jesus’ incarnation. Yet, surprisingly, Jesus never asked His followers to remember His birth. He did ask us to remember His death and resurrection. True, we could not observe or remember His death without first remembering His birth here on earth. It was not His birth that saves us from our sins; it was His death and resurrection that secures our justification before a Holy God. Jesus directs our focus to His broken body and death.

I am sure the disciples were puzzled by His request for them to remember His death while He broke bread and gave it to them during their last Passover together. Passover meals always looked forward to the sacrifice of the coming Messiah. Yet here was the Messiah they did not yet recognize asking them to look back in remembrance. Most likely, more than one of those disciples was bewildered. After the events of the next few days, their heads were probably spinning as they remembered more of what He had spoken to them over the past years of His earthly ministry.

Take time this Lenten season and remember His death and resurrection.
—Joanie Rielage

“And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” Luke 22:44 (ESV)

Christ’s teaching ministry is finished. It is time for Him to atone for sin and seal His victory. The physical passion (His suffering) began at Gethsemane. John mentions a garden near the foot of the western slope between the eastern wall of Jerusalem and the Mt. of Olives. Gethsemane means “oil press,” where the olives harvested from the garden trees would be crushed to produce olive oil. It was there that Christ was crushed as He accepted the weight of the world’s sins that He would bear on the cross. John Stott eloquently said, “What dominated His mind was not the living but the giving of His life.”

“And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.” Mark 14:26 (ESV) The Greek word, agonia, appears once in all of Scripture. Jesus prayed three times with spiritual agony over being separated from His Father. It is interesting that the Gospel writer, Luke, who was a physician, is the only one who mentions, “And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” Luke 22:44 (ESV) In the medical dictionary, we can find “hematidrosis” (blood - sweat). Under great emotional stress, tiny capillaries in the sweat glands can break, thus mixing blood with sweat. The skin would become fragile and tender. This would lead to marked weakness and possible hypovolemic shock from loss of blood, chilling Him in the cool of the night air. He was so weak that God sent an angel to strengthen Him, which God did not do for Jesus during any of the rest of His torture!

Jesus prayed, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” Matthew 26:39b (ESV)

In the Old and New Testaments, the cup is used as a metaphor for the “wrath of God.” In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus was staring into that cup, the one that He would drink the very next day as He hung on the cross in excruciating pain. What provokes God’s wrath? Our sin! It was not the physical pain that Jesus dreaded, as horrible as it was, but the unimaginable spiritual agony of God’s wrath, which caused the hematidrosis and the angel’s visit! It was God’s wrath that I actually deserve. Jesus’ act of drinking that cup resulted in the propitiation of my sin. Now the cup is empty. Thank you, Jesus, for Gethsemane.
—Dr. Bill Gerhardt

1 Corinthians 15.
“And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.” 1 Corinthians 15:17 (NIV®)

Why do we rejoice at Easter? Why do we call the day Jesus was crucified “Good” Friday? Why do we have hope for an eternal future? These are the critical questions of our faith.

Many see science as the answer to all questions. They believe that miracles do not happen, cannot happen, and there is no God. They see the claim that Jesus rose from the dead as a belief in fables that discredits the Christian faith.

How has the church responded to challenges to the resurrection? Some theologians, such as Rudolph Bultmann, a German theologian (1884-1976), have agreed with those who say miracles do not happen. His basic approach to the Bible was “demythologizing,” hoping to make the Bible and our faith acceptable in the modern world. Bultmann said that what actually happened in history is not important. What really matters is our belief, our faith—this makes us, as Christians, authentic and better able to love and serve others.

What does Scripture say? The heart of our faith is our belief that God has created history; He breaks into our world; God is the God of history and historical fact is absolutely critical. We testify that our God is the worker of miracles.

The apostle Paul highlights this perspective when he tells the Corinthian believers that, if Jesus was not raised, we are still in our sins and are most to be pitied (1 Corinthians 15:17-19). Paul says the great news is that Jesus was raised from the dead. What is actually of central importance is not only that we believe this, that our lives are changed by this belief, but that Jesus actually rose from the dead. Making such a claim, Paul is talking about historical fact. He is saying that those who deny the resurrection are denying what has actually occurred in history.

Paul stands with the central truths of Christianity in opposition to those who say that miracles cannot happen. He stands in opposition to not only scientists who make such a claim, but to theologians who are attempting to make the Bible acceptable to modern man by removing the great acts of God that have occurred in history.

So why do we rejoice, celebrating Easter morning? Not only because we feel good about the resurrection, not just because we believe it, not just because the resurrection changes us, but we rejoice because Jesus actually rose from the dead. In doing so, He overcame our greatest enemies—sin and the grave. Hallelujah! He is risen! Praise be to God!
—Rick Schatz

“And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.” Luke 24:27 (ESV)

Luke 24 is the amazing account of what transpired on the wonderful day of Jesus’ resurrection. In verse 13, we read one of the most fascinating stories regarding the resurrection that we find in sacred Scripture.

“¹³That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, ¹⁴and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. ¹⁵While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. ¹⁶But their eyes were kept from recognizing him.” Luke 24:13-16 (ESV)

Perhaps it was the grief of these disciples that hindered their recognition of Jesus. These two men had invested their hope in Him. Dashed were their hopes on the day of the crucifixion. All of the expectations of Jesus’ followers had been destroyed when they watched that centurion pierce His side and watched the soldiers take this lifeless corpse down from the cross. All of the anticipation of a Messianic deliverance was shattered at that moment.

In the midst of their despair on the road to Emmaus, they receive the greatest exposition of biblical literature ever recorded, “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.” Luke 24:27 (ESV) Jesus interpreted to these two men how all of the law and prophets spoke about His coming—beginning with Genesis and going through the law, the prophets, and all Messianic teaching.

It was shortly after, as they sat down to dinner, that the first way in which Christ manifested His resurrection was at the breaking of bread. When they sat to eat with Him, they heard Him pray, and as He blessed the food, God opened their eyes. “They said to each other, ‘Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?’” Luke 24:32 (ESV)

Let us offer up our grateful praise that the Holy Spirit has confirmed in our hearts the sermon Jesus taught on the road to Emmaus. This is our Messiah King; and He lives.

“He is risen!” said the angel at the tomb. When the men returned to Jerusalem, they said to the disciples, “He is risen indeed!”
—Vaughn Engle