Christian Reflection and Prayer

Read Psalm 102.

TEXT: I am poured out like water, and all my bones are
out of joint (see Psalm 22:14).

Jesus is exhausted. He spent the previous night in
prayer, pleading with His Father to take away the cup-the
suffering that was about to befall Him. Jesus didn't fear
death, but He struggled with being forsaken by His Father
and being lashed with His fiery wrath at our sins. Three
hours later He came out of the garden composed and
ready-but physically drained.

That was only the beginnings of His sufferings. After
condemning Him, the Jewish high court punched, slapped
and struck Him. Pilate's soldiers savagely flogged Him,
drove a crown of thorns down over His head, and struck
Him over the head repeatedly with a reed. The heavy cross
bar was placed on His bloody shoulders, and He was forced
to carry it to the place of execution. He was a strong man,
a carpenter, but the abuse He suffered for our sins was so
great He collapsed under the weight. Too weak and weary to
carry it all the way Himself, the Roman soldiers finally
ordered a bystander in the crowd, Simon of Cyrene, to carry
it the rest of the way.

Psalm 22 masterfully describes this exhaustion, "I am
poured out like water."

Then King David adds an incredible prophetic detail, "All my
bones are out of joint." In this grisly form of execution, the
weight of the body hangs on the arms, putting tremendous
strain on the joints in the arms and shoulders. It's as though
He was stretched on the rack. What makes this passage so
remarkable is that King David was completely unfamiliar with
crucifixion, yet he describes it in incredible detail. And those
details will become even more striking in the verses to follow.

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus Christ, what sufferings You endured to free me of
my sins and God's wrath. Receive my heartfelt gratitude and
praise forever. Amen.

(Lenten Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries)

Read Psalm 109.

TEXT: They open wide their mouths at me, like a ravening
and roaring lion (Psalm 22:13).

In yesterday's devotion Jesus compared His enemies to
animals -- powerful, aggressive, ferocious bulls. Now He
compares them to another terrifying, wild beast-mighty
lions with their mouths wide open, advancing on their prey
with loud, frightening roars.
 
The Jewish leaders had long plotted Jesus' destruction.
They roared loudly as they threatened to remove anyone
from the synagogue who confessed Jesus as the promised
Messiah (see John 9:22). When Judas betrayed Jesus they
sprang into action. They arrested, tried, condemned and
abused Him. There was only one man left standing in their
way: the Roman Governor Pontius Pilate.

Pilate examined Jesus in their presence, and found there
was no evidence to support their charges against Him. He
was going to free the Christ until they started roaring. They
bullied and intimidated Pilate, pressuring him to give in to
their will and have Jesus executed. Pilate stood strong at first,
affirming Jesus' innocence. But like the thunderous roar of
 lions, their loud threats and chants of "Crucify Him! Crucify
Him!" overwhelmed Pilate who finally stepped aside, washed
his hands of the whole affair, and ordered the execution of
 God's Son.

Jesus has described His enemies as bulls or lions. They have
the characteristics of wild animals, but they are all too human.
Behind them stands Jesus' great arch-enemy Satan. In the
beginning the devil worked through an animal, a serpent, to
destroy mankind (see Genesis 3). Now he worked through
these ferocious people to destroy the Savior of mankind.

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus Christ, You stood all alone before such vicious
people, yet You pleaded with Your Father to forgive them,
"for they know not what they do." Forgive me my sins and
give me strength to stand and tell others of Your great
salvation. Amen.

(Lenten Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries)

Read Psalm 68:28-35. 

TEXT: Many bulls encompass me; strong bulls of Bashan
surround me (Psalm 22:12).

Jesus looks squarely into the face of His persecutors who
are many and powerful-like a herd of bulls surrounding Him.
They are strong bulls, the kind that grow in the rich
meadows of Bashan, a region northeast of Gilead, the land
of Israel to the east of the Jordan River. These bulls were
well known for their strength, size and fierceness. It is an
apt description for the chief priests and elders; they are
fierce, savage and violent men who prosecuted Jesus to
His death.

What a force for good these leaders could have been had
they turned from their sin and trusted Jesus as their Savior.
Imagine if they had used their energy, wisdom and influence
to lead the Jews to follow God's mighty Son. Instead, they
charge against Him. They conduct an illegal night trial; they
call for false witnesses and force Pilate to condemn an
innocent man through threats. Like bulls they line up with
their sharp horns and tell Pilate-we are charging and
attacking someone. Shall it be Jesus or you?

We face strong enemies as well: "For we do not wrestle
against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the
authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present
darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly
places" (Ephesians 6:12).

Without a doubt Jesus' greatest enemy was the devil who
stood behind these Jewish leaders and spurred them on
their murderous path. But through His innocent suffering
and death, Jesus crushed the serpent's head and set us
free forever.

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus Christ, You faced the brunt of Satan's power
and were victorious. Protect us from all our enemies and
bring us safely to our heavenly home. Amen.

(Lenten Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries)