Monday, March 22, 2021
Hallelujah! He is risen!
A Lenten Devotional Guide
By Martha Dorrell
Now as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside and said to them, “We are going up to Jerusalem and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day, he will be raised to life!”
Matthew 20:17-19 RSV
At our granddaughter’s confirmation, when the choir director came down the aisle to direct the choir, he pulled his hand out of his pocket and his baby’s pacifier fell out onto the floor two rows in from of me. After the anthem, he and his family sat in the row behind me but at the opposite end. Knowing how fanatic children can be about their “pacies,” throughout the service I became preoccupied with ideas on how to discretely get that pacifier to them. Even during the communion I had a method in mind, which was foiled when they went down another aisle!
Finally the Lord spoke to me, “Instead of worshipping me, you surely have been obsessed with that pacifier.” (I must admit I don’t remember a word the minister said.) Later the thought came to me – what if Jesus had gotten completely distracted with all the problems that constantly demanded His attention here on earth. Instead the scripture states, “He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem,” knowing He would meet His death there. He chose to accept God’s will for His life, without wavering, to be the sacrificial lamb for the sins of the whole world, which includes mine and yours.
Thank you, Lord, that you gave your life for my salvation from sin. Amen
Hallelujah! He is Risen!
prepared for First United Methodist Church of Homosassa, Florida
Spring 2011
compiled by Patience Nave, Christian Education Coordinator
reproduced and edited by Patience Fort
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