2 Peter 3:11-13
Since everything here today might
well be gone tomorrow, do you see how essential it is to live a holy
life? Daily expect the Day of God, eager for its arrival. The galaxies
will burn up and the elements melt down that day—but we’ll hardly
notice. We’ll be looking the other way, ready for the promised new
heavens and the promised new earth, all landscaped with righteousness.
Scripture
quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002
by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs,
CO. All rights reserved.
Given all that has happened
in our family in the last three months, Greg and I felt it was urgent
that we “get our house in order.” We updated our important documents,
cleaned out files and closets…and we even pre-planned our funerals.
Several people thought this was rather morbid - and even “rushing
things.” But after the sudden deaths of Greg’s brother and my mother –
both relatively young by our standards – we saw once again how quickly
things can change. As this scripture puts it, everything here might
very well be gone tomorrow.
The “upside” of doing all of this
preparation is that we can now move forward with confidence that things
are in some semblance of order…that we are not leaving a mess for our
friends and relatives – or burdening them unnecessarily with questions
and decisions about how we would wish for things to be handled.
We
can also focus on other things that are more enjoyable. We can spend
our days serving God and loving others…expectantly waiting for Him to
show up and show out! There will still be bumps in the road…and details
to “tweak” from time to time…but now we are free to focus on our
earthly mission – and our heavenly destination. And both look pretty
promising right at the moment.
I am reminded of the 4th grader
who told me yesterday that he would not trade places with anyone,
because, “My life is not perfect…there are problems…but it’s what I’ve
been given, and it’s pretty great. I am happy with who I am and what
I’ve got.” I’m with him 100%. I wish I had been that content when I
was ten! Yes, this is an amazing kid. He has everything pretty well
figured out...and I pray that this level of contentment and purpose
continues in his life.
The thing is…we can be just like him!
We can find our purpose, “get our ducks in a row,” and serve God with
determination, dedication – and great hope for our future in heaven!
What is required is often just a shift in attitude…and a determination
to draw nearer to God and pay closer attention to His will for our
lives. There is no better time than this Holy Week to make such a
commitment. Won’t you join me in pledging to focus more on heaven and
God’s plan for us until it is time for us to join Him there? Will you
redouble your efforts to keep your eyes and ears open…to worry less and
serve God more…and to share the joy of this Eternal hope with others
each and every day? I’m ready to get started…what about you?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label Holy Week. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Holy Week. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for March 30, 2015
Luke 22:1-6
And now the Passover celebration was drawing near—the Jewish festival when only bread made without yeast was used. The chief priests and other religious leaders were actively plotting Jesus’ murder, trying to find a way to kill him without starting a riot—a possibility they greatly feared.
Then Satan entered into Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve disciples, and he went over to the chief priests and captains of the Temple guards to discuss the best way to betray Jesus to them. They were, of course, delighted to know that he was ready to help them and promised him a reward. So he began to look for an opportunity for them to arrest Jesus quietly when the crowds weren’t around.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Do you remember when you were a little kid, and maybe a group of other youngsters wanted to do something that they knew they shouldn’t…so they sought a scapegoat? Maybe they wanted to bust some windows in an old building…and they encouraged a younger sibling or friend to actually do the dirty work while they watched. Wanting to please…and maybe motivated by some sort of incentive (like a candy bar or a special toy – or merely the approval of the older children)…the younger child agreed to “do the dirty deed.” And then, when the damage was discovered, the older kids scattered like marbles…leaving their “patsy” to suffer the consequences.
I’ve read the scriptures about Judas Iscariot…I’ve examined some writings about his life and speculations on his motives. And here’s what I have concluded…Judas loved Jesus. And Jesus surely loved Judas. But Judas was “one of those people” who could be easily swayed, and this passage from Luke 22 says that the devil took advantage of this character flaw. He (the devil) started small…planting seeds of doubt about the effectiveness of Jesus’ ministries…filling Judas’ mind with questions about why such expensive perfumed oil was used to wash Jesus’ feet…creating seemingly tiny “frictions” between Judas and the other disciples.
From there, it escalated to a point that Judas found himself accepting a paltry 30 pieces of silver in exchange for a “kiss” that he agreed to plant on Jesus’ cheek. I don’t know that Judas ever in his wildest dreams imagined that the horrors of this Holy Week would occur. At the most, he probably thought the Romans would rough Jesus up a bit, detain Him for a few days, then release Him and maybe tell Him to “hit the road, Jack - and never come back!” Judas’ suicide indicates to me that he was remorseful…frightened…distraught over his mistake. Taking his life was ultimately Judas’ worst transgression, because I believe that Jesus would have forgiven him, had he repented.
But this is how these things happen. They start small…often with something that is seemingly innocent. We listen to a comment here…we laugh and snicker at a racist remark there…we turn and look the other way when someone is mistreated or discriminated against. And the first thing you know, we’ve signed on for bigger “jobs”. We’re openly calling people derogatory names…picking up our bag and moving to another row or seat when someone we deem to be offensive sits beside us…or teaching our children to hate certain races, ethnicities, people of different lifestyles, those who do not fit our “model” of socio-economic success, and those who are too fat or have a wild hair color or body art and piercings. We “plant the kiss” that says, “This is the person to persecute!” And it never even occurs to us that in doing such things, we have just betrayed Jesus as surely as Judas Iscariot did that fateful night in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Hear the Good News…just as surely as Jesus loved Judas – He loves each of us. And just as I believe that Judas could have been forgiven and set upright, I believe that each of us can experience forgiveness – and salvation/restitution through the blood of Jesus. THIS is the Good News of Holy Week!
We are all potentially “Judas”…but we can turn this around…today…now…this minute! We can close the door on the devil, drop the money bag, and “turn this car around”! Don’t you want to do this? Aren’t you ready to sit at the feet of Jesus once again…free of any guilt, shame or remorse? Will this be the day that you seek His forgiveness and get started? Don’t you think it should be?
©2015 Debbie Robus
And now the Passover celebration was drawing near—the Jewish festival when only bread made without yeast was used. The chief priests and other religious leaders were actively plotting Jesus’ murder, trying to find a way to kill him without starting a riot—a possibility they greatly feared.
Then Satan entered into Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve disciples, and he went over to the chief priests and captains of the Temple guards to discuss the best way to betray Jesus to them. They were, of course, delighted to know that he was ready to help them and promised him a reward. So he began to look for an opportunity for them to arrest Jesus quietly when the crowds weren’t around.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Do you remember when you were a little kid, and maybe a group of other youngsters wanted to do something that they knew they shouldn’t…so they sought a scapegoat? Maybe they wanted to bust some windows in an old building…and they encouraged a younger sibling or friend to actually do the dirty work while they watched. Wanting to please…and maybe motivated by some sort of incentive (like a candy bar or a special toy – or merely the approval of the older children)…the younger child agreed to “do the dirty deed.” And then, when the damage was discovered, the older kids scattered like marbles…leaving their “patsy” to suffer the consequences.
I’ve read the scriptures about Judas Iscariot…I’ve examined some writings about his life and speculations on his motives. And here’s what I have concluded…Judas loved Jesus. And Jesus surely loved Judas. But Judas was “one of those people” who could be easily swayed, and this passage from Luke 22 says that the devil took advantage of this character flaw. He (the devil) started small…planting seeds of doubt about the effectiveness of Jesus’ ministries…filling Judas’ mind with questions about why such expensive perfumed oil was used to wash Jesus’ feet…creating seemingly tiny “frictions” between Judas and the other disciples.
From there, it escalated to a point that Judas found himself accepting a paltry 30 pieces of silver in exchange for a “kiss” that he agreed to plant on Jesus’ cheek. I don’t know that Judas ever in his wildest dreams imagined that the horrors of this Holy Week would occur. At the most, he probably thought the Romans would rough Jesus up a bit, detain Him for a few days, then release Him and maybe tell Him to “hit the road, Jack - and never come back!” Judas’ suicide indicates to me that he was remorseful…frightened…distraught over his mistake. Taking his life was ultimately Judas’ worst transgression, because I believe that Jesus would have forgiven him, had he repented.
But this is how these things happen. They start small…often with something that is seemingly innocent. We listen to a comment here…we laugh and snicker at a racist remark there…we turn and look the other way when someone is mistreated or discriminated against. And the first thing you know, we’ve signed on for bigger “jobs”. We’re openly calling people derogatory names…picking up our bag and moving to another row or seat when someone we deem to be offensive sits beside us…or teaching our children to hate certain races, ethnicities, people of different lifestyles, those who do not fit our “model” of socio-economic success, and those who are too fat or have a wild hair color or body art and piercings. We “plant the kiss” that says, “This is the person to persecute!” And it never even occurs to us that in doing such things, we have just betrayed Jesus as surely as Judas Iscariot did that fateful night in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Hear the Good News…just as surely as Jesus loved Judas – He loves each of us. And just as I believe that Judas could have been forgiven and set upright, I believe that each of us can experience forgiveness – and salvation/restitution through the blood of Jesus. THIS is the Good News of Holy Week!
We are all potentially “Judas”…but we can turn this around…today…now…this minute! We can close the door on the devil, drop the money bag, and “turn this car around”! Don’t you want to do this? Aren’t you ready to sit at the feet of Jesus once again…free of any guilt, shame or remorse? Will this be the day that you seek His forgiveness and get started? Don’t you think it should be?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for April 14, 2014
John 12:23-28
Jesus said: The time has come for the Son of Man to be given his glory. I tell you for certain that a grain of wheat that falls on the ground will never be more than one grain unless it dies. But if it dies, it will produce lots of wheat. If you love your life, you will lose it. If you give it up in this world, you will be given eternal life. If you serve me, you must go with me. My servants will be with me wherever I am. If you serve me, my Father will honor you.
Now I am deeply troubled, and I don’t know what to say. But I must not ask my Father to keep me from this time of suffering. In fact, I came into the world to suffer. So Father, bring glory to yourself.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
One of my all-time favorite hymns is “All Glory Laud and Honor”. When our congregation sang this as our “first hymn” on Palm Sunday, I was filled with joy. The little children of our church paraded up and down the aisles waving palm fronds as we sang,
As our pastor reminded us that the same people who heralded Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday - and celebrated Him as their King - were the same ones who just a few days later cried out for His crucifixion. He also noted that you cannot get from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday without considering the cross.
So we will consider the cross for a few days. We will look at Jesus…God’s Son in human form who knew every single lash of the whip that would befall Him. He knew every person who would betray or deny Him…every agonizing thrust of the hammer as steel spikes were driven into His hands and feet. He knew each second of agony that lay ahead of Him…and He openly admitted that He was “deeply troubled”. Who wouldn’t be? Who among us could bear this? If someone described this suffering to you today and told you that this was in store for you this week, wouldn’t you do everything in your power to prevent it? Wouldn’t you beg, plead and bargain with God…promise ANYTHING to avoid such torture?
Now let me ask you this…suppose you could save your child by sacrificing your life in this manner. What if it boiled down to you…or that child? What if your agony and brutalization could save countless generations and offer them Eternal Life? Many of us would say, “Sure…for this reason, we would do it!” But if we are honest, I bet when the beatings started…when our backs were torn open and our heads were pierced with a crown of thorns…when we were handed an incredibly heavy wooden cross and told to carry it up a steep hill after our body had been mutilated…we would say, “Hold on…I can’t do this.” A few of us might even make it to Calvary. But when the spikes were placed on our wrists…when someone pulled our feet together, held a metal spear above them and raised the hammer, we would surely say, “Wait! Stop!”
If we possessed the supernatural powers of Jesus, surely we would command these people to halt such atrocities…to loosen the ropes, put away the whips and spears, remove our naked body from the cross and cover us in soft robes. But we’re not Jesus. We do not have His capacity for love and perseverance. We want to spend Eternity with Him…but few among us would be willing to suffer even a small portion of what He endured - regardless of the purpose. We want the happy, joy-filled, palm-frond-saluted Jesus who rode into Jerusalem to the applause and cheers of an adoring crowd. We do not want to consider the mutilated Savior who hung from a cross. But we must.
Somewhere in between the palm fronds and the Easter bunny, chocolate eggs and new outfits, we must stop to remember what happened in the days from that joy-filled Sunday to Resurrection Day. If we focus only on the “pretty” parts…we miss the message. Jesus came into the world to suffer…for you, for me – for all who would believe in Him. Don’t rush this Holy week! Study every facet…the good, bad and the ugly. Before we can celebrate the resurrection, we must consider the cross.
Jesus said: The time has come for the Son of Man to be given his glory. I tell you for certain that a grain of wheat that falls on the ground will never be more than one grain unless it dies. But if it dies, it will produce lots of wheat. If you love your life, you will lose it. If you give it up in this world, you will be given eternal life. If you serve me, you must go with me. My servants will be with me wherever I am. If you serve me, my Father will honor you.
Now I am deeply troubled, and I don’t know what to say. But I must not ask my Father to keep me from this time of suffering. In fact, I came into the world to suffer. So Father, bring glory to yourself.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
One of my all-time favorite hymns is “All Glory Laud and Honor”. When our congregation sang this as our “first hymn” on Palm Sunday, I was filled with joy. The little children of our church paraded up and down the aisles waving palm fronds as we sang,
“All glory, laud, and honor to thee, Redeemer, King!This was a moment filled with reverence, jubilation, and mixed emotions. We all know how the “Holy Week story” ends…but we also know what had to happen to get to Easter Sunday. We celebrate Jesus as our Redeemer King… we sing sweet hosannas…but we know what’s coming. They don’t call it “The Sunday of Passion” for nothing!
to whom the lips of children made sweet hosannas ring.”
As our pastor reminded us that the same people who heralded Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday - and celebrated Him as their King - were the same ones who just a few days later cried out for His crucifixion. He also noted that you cannot get from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday without considering the cross.
So we will consider the cross for a few days. We will look at Jesus…God’s Son in human form who knew every single lash of the whip that would befall Him. He knew every person who would betray or deny Him…every agonizing thrust of the hammer as steel spikes were driven into His hands and feet. He knew each second of agony that lay ahead of Him…and He openly admitted that He was “deeply troubled”. Who wouldn’t be? Who among us could bear this? If someone described this suffering to you today and told you that this was in store for you this week, wouldn’t you do everything in your power to prevent it? Wouldn’t you beg, plead and bargain with God…promise ANYTHING to avoid such torture?
Now let me ask you this…suppose you could save your child by sacrificing your life in this manner. What if it boiled down to you…or that child? What if your agony and brutalization could save countless generations and offer them Eternal Life? Many of us would say, “Sure…for this reason, we would do it!” But if we are honest, I bet when the beatings started…when our backs were torn open and our heads were pierced with a crown of thorns…when we were handed an incredibly heavy wooden cross and told to carry it up a steep hill after our body had been mutilated…we would say, “Hold on…I can’t do this.” A few of us might even make it to Calvary. But when the spikes were placed on our wrists…when someone pulled our feet together, held a metal spear above them and raised the hammer, we would surely say, “Wait! Stop!”
If we possessed the supernatural powers of Jesus, surely we would command these people to halt such atrocities…to loosen the ropes, put away the whips and spears, remove our naked body from the cross and cover us in soft robes. But we’re not Jesus. We do not have His capacity for love and perseverance. We want to spend Eternity with Him…but few among us would be willing to suffer even a small portion of what He endured - regardless of the purpose. We want the happy, joy-filled, palm-frond-saluted Jesus who rode into Jerusalem to the applause and cheers of an adoring crowd. We do not want to consider the mutilated Savior who hung from a cross. But we must.
Somewhere in between the palm fronds and the Easter bunny, chocolate eggs and new outfits, we must stop to remember what happened in the days from that joy-filled Sunday to Resurrection Day. If we focus only on the “pretty” parts…we miss the message. Jesus came into the world to suffer…for you, for me – for all who would believe in Him. Don’t rush this Holy week! Study every facet…the good, bad and the ugly. Before we can celebrate the resurrection, we must consider the cross.
Father, today we thank You for Jesus. We thank You for loving us in our sinful, unlovable state…loving us enough to be willing to suffer at the hands of mere mortals who did not know You – did not understand Your love, grace, mercy, compassion and forgiveness. They did not understand about Eternal Life…and most certainly they could not comprehend the love of one Man for all mankind. Help us to focus on the cross this week…to remind ourselves just how profoundly Jesus loves each one of us. Make us uncomfortable as we ponder His suffering on our behalf. Humble us as we reflect on His passion and steadfast devotion. Forgive us for our weaknesses…and our ungratefulness. Make this a week when we renew our commitment…a time when we consider the cross and fully embrace Christ’s amazing love for each of us. Amen.©2014 Debbie Robus
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