Saturday, April 3, 2021
Hallelujah! He is risen!
A Lenten Devotional Guide
By Rayna Carlsen
“When we get to Jerusalem,” he said, “the Son of Man will
be betrayed to the leading priests and teachers of religious law. They will
sentence him to die. Then they will hand him over to the Romans to be mocked,
whipped, and crucified….”
Matthew 20:18-19
Unbelievable. At least four times God has recorded for us these words of Jesus. He knew what was coming. The betrayal, degradation, excruciating torture and agony of crucifixion. Not to mention the awful knowledge that He would be rejected by his Father when He took on our sins.
He knew all the time. Before He entered Jerusalem, Jesus tried to explain to his disciples what would happen. Even though they did not fully understand, Jesus knew. And he went anyway.
How many times in our own lives are we paralyzed by fear when we know something unpleasant is coming? Or how often do we avoid difficulty, making up excuses to change plans or looking for other roads to take so we don’t have to endure our own painful situations? We also tend to “pre”-live upcoming problems in our minds, not to prepare ourselves for it but building our apprehensions and devising potential methods of escape. Jesus knew what was coming – every detail – and chose not to avoid it.
Jesus was God in human flesh. At any point He could have made a miraculous escape. When they spit in his face, He could have stopped it. When they ripped open his flesh with whips, He could have walked away unscathed. When they drove nails into his hands and feet, He could have freed himself, unharmed. He made the choice to stay and die.
What have we chosen to deny ourselves to show love for another – to show our love for Him?
Gracious Heavenly Father, thank you seems such an inadequate way to express our wonder at the expression of Your love through Your Son. Guide our hearts and minds to see and understand how You want us to love. Put your love in our hearts and change our selfish ways that others may see You and give You the glory. In the name of Him who chose to love us. 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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