Christian Reflection and Prayer

Scripture:

Read John 11:1-44.

TEXT: "Jesus said to her,
'I am the resurrection and the life.
Whoever believes in Me, though
he die, yet shall he live, and
everyone who lives and believes
in Me shall never die. Do you
believe this?'"(John 11:25-26).

Lenten Meditation:

Jesus is about to do one of His
greatest miraculous signs. He
receives a frantic message to
come to Lazarus who is gravely
ill. But Jesus remains where He
is. His disciples think Jesus is
avoiding Jerusalem where the
crowds had tried to stone Him
a short time ago. But Jesus
waits two days before finally
heading out for Bethany, a small
village near Jerusalem. Thomas
tells his fellow disciples, "Let us
also go, that we may die with
Him."

Jesus finally arrives after Lazarus
has been dead four days. Martha
says, "Lord, if You had been here,
my brother would not have died.
" But Jesus had a reason for His
delay. Jewish rabbis believed a
person's soul hovered over the
body for three days, and then
finally departed when
decomposition set in. By waiting
for the fourth day, Jesus would be
performing a miracle none of the
Jewish leaders could deny.

Sometimes we get confused
by the struggles in our life. Like
Martha we plead with the Lord to
help, but when we need Him most
He seems to delay, or not to hear.
But Jesus has a purpose and a
plan for everything He does for us.

Jesus told Martha "I am the
resurrection and the life." Jesus
proved that by raising Lazarus from
the dead-and by His own resurrection
on the third day. When we are
discouraged, beaten down and
depressed, we can look to Jesus and
know our future is secure.

PRAYER:

Lord, give me confidence in Your
victory during the dark days when
I need You the most. Amen.

Lutheran Hour Ministries

(Lenten Meditation)

Read John 10:11-39.

TEXT: (Jesus said) "I am the
Good Shepherd. I know My own
and My own know Me." ... "and
I lay down My life for the sheep"
(John 10:14, 15b).

In today's reading Jesus identifies
Himself as our Good Shepherd.
This, of course, means that we
are like sheep. That automatically
says two things about us: we are
helpless creatures, and we have
powerful enemies against which
we are defenseless. But are the
crowds willing to admit this-that
they need Jesus to be their shepherd?

Jesus tells them He will freely lay
down His life to save them from their
enemies. He will lay it down on Good
Friday when He is nailed to the cross
and gives up His life for the sins of the
world. But He will take it up again on
the third day when He rises in glorious
victory.

The crowds hear this great news, and
find themselves divided yet again! Some
say He has a demon, or He is insane.
But others, thinking how Jesus healed
the man born blind, ask, "Can a demon
open the eyes of the blind?"

Jesus made some very bold statements
about Himself and the work He came to do.
Few are as powerful or as comforting as
these words. Jesus Christ has been
pleased to take us as His very own sheep,
and will guard us, protect us, lead us to
good pasture, care for us in body and
soul and finally lead us through death
to life everlasting.

Jesus stretches out His hand to you today.
If you are His sheep, listen to His voice,
He will protect you from all enemies and
guide you safely home to paradise. He
promises that nothing can snatch you
out of His hands.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank You for
offering to hold me firmly and safely in Your
hands. Let me never wander away in unbelief.
Amen.

Lutheran Hour Ministries

Lenten Meditation

Read John 9:1-16.

TEXT: "Some of the Pharisees said,
'This man is not from God, for He
does not keep the Sabbath.' But
others said, 'How can a man who is
a sinner do such things?' And there
was a division among them" (John 9:16).

Leaving the temple grounds Jesus
passes through Jerusalem. Along the
way His disciples point out a man born
blind. They ask if his blindness is a
result of his parents' sin or his own.
Jesus rejects both claims, and says
this man was born blind so the works
of God may be displayed in him. Then
Jesus gave the man sight.

When word reaches the Pharisees
there is a sharp division among them.
Some immediately reject Jesus
because He healed on the Sabbath day.
Blinded by their tradition they are unable
to see God's great purpose for the
Sabbath-to let people rest from their
labors and let God work in their lives.
Others realize the magnitude of the work
Jesus has done. Like Nicodemus before
(see John 3), they know no sinful man
could perform such a mighty miracle.
So a division arises among the Pharisees.

Jesus continues to divide people today.
Some listen to His words, consider His
miracles and are led by the Holy Spirit to
the certain faith that He is God's Son, the
Savior of the world. Others ignore the plain
truth and take issue with the way Jesus
taught and the demands they think
He makes on their lives. They doubt His
relevance and prefer to live their lives their
own way.

God grant us His Holy Spirit to know Jesus
as God's Son, our only Savior and Lord,
and to follow Him through all.

PRAYER: Spirit of God, strengthen my
faith in Jesus Christ my Lord, and give me
firm confidence when others are divided over
Him. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Lutheran Hour Ministries