Christian Reflection and Prayer

"The Light at the End of the Tunnel"

Lenten Devotion

(Jesus said) "... 'You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn
into joy'" (John 16:20b).

Read John 16:16-24.

The disciples' heads are spinning at everything Jesus has said
to them at His Last Supper. Now He tells them, "A little while,
and you will see Me no longer; and again a little while, and you
will see Me." They want to know what He means, but are afraid
to ask; maybe they're more afraid to hear the answer He would
give.

But it shouldn't be a mystery. For months Jesus has told them
what will happen in Jerusalem. He warned them He would be
handed over, beaten, scourged and crucified. He told them He
would die and on the third day rise again. Now all His predictions
are about to come true. They will be sorrowful, but their sorrow
will turn to joy.

The disciples aren't all that different from us. All of us would
prefer to see joy and happiness all through our earthly lives, and
none of us is too happy when sorrow, grief, weeping and
lamenting come around. We try so hard to deny those things
will happen to us, that we miss the tremendous comfort in Jesus'
promise of the resurrection.

Jesus has died and risen again. He promises to come again to
restore this fallen creation, and to change our mortal bodies so
they will be glorious, immortal and eternally perfect. That fact of
Jesus' resurrection coupled with His promise to give us new
eternal life at His return can give us a lasting joy that no one can
take away-no matter what sorrow and loss we suffer in this our
earthly life.

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, thank You for Your victory over our sin, death and
hell. Thank You for the promise Your resurrection brings-eternal l
ife with You. Amen.

Written by Rev. Wayne Palmer

Lenten Devotion

(Jesus said) "Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in
God, believe also in Me" (John 14:1).

Read John 13:36-14:7.

What a confusing, depressing night! Their Lord and Master
washes their feet like a slave; He tells them the unthinkable
that one of them will betray Him. Then Jesus tells Peter,
the boldest of the Twelve, that this very night, before the
rooster crows at sunrise, Peter will deny knowing Him. What
a confusing, depressing night! Looking around at His
disciples, Jesus knows just how troubled and shaken they
are.

He knows how we get shaken up too. He knows the
circumstances that crush us, problems that confound us,
and the pressures that weigh on us. Yet through it all He is
always at our side. Jesus tells us to turn our eyes away from
our problems and focus our attention on Him. Believe in God
the Father and believe also in Jesus. He assures us that we
will not always live in this world of hurt, pain and sorrow, but
He is preparing a safe, joyous and wonderful place for us to
live with Him forever.

We know where we are going because Jesus is the Way to
heaven. He came to this earth not to be our example to guide
us to heaven by our good living, but to earn heaven for us by
His perfect life, innocent death and glorious resurrection. He
is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

Perhaps these devotions find you or someone you love
drawing near to death. In the midst of our sorrows, fears and
anxieties when we focus on Jesus His mighty word calms our
fears and stills our hearts.

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, bring peace to my troubled heart and mind, and
give me the Spirit that I may believe in You always. Amen.

Written by Rev. Wayne Palmer

Lenten Devotion

(Jesus said) "... 'Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me'"
(John 13:21b). 

Read John 13:21-30.

"One of you will betray Me." Judas must be totally shocked by Jesus'
words. One by one the disciples ask a question that floats around the
table. With rising suspense Judas watches the question work its way
around the table to him -- and he even joins his voice to theirs: "Is it I,
Lord?"

If Judas' voice didn't give him away, what Jesus does next will make it
crystal clear. He dips the morsel of bread and hands it directly to Judas.

Have you ever stopped to think about how Jesus turned the tables on
Judas? At this moment the betrayer is at the mercy of the One he was
going to betray. Jesus holds Judas in the palm of His hand. With a word
Jesus can betray Judas to the other disciples, who are armed with a few
swords. Jesus is in complete control; He can betray Judas. Instead, our
Lord sends His betrayer on his way: "What you are going to do, do
quickly." As Judas rushes out from the danger, the other disciples have
no idea what Jesus means.

Which one of us hasn't betrayed another -- gossiping secrets that
should never have been shared or exposing another's shame just to
flatter our own self-righteous pride? How often have we in effect handed
Jesus' over to His enemies by our sinful actions or our silence?

Judas walked out into the darkness. But in this same darkness Jesus will
still reach out to him one last time when Judas leads the soldiers into the
Garden of Gethsemane to arrest Him. Jesus still reaches out to you and
me with hands that bear the mark of the nails.

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, Your steadfast love is amazing to me. Keep reaching out to
bring me back from my sins. Amen. 

Written by Rev. Wayne Palmer