Christian Reflection and Prayer

"Washing an Unclean Disciple"

Lenten Devotion

"... (Jesus said) 'You are clean, but not every one of you.'
..." (John 13:10b).

Read John 13:1-20. 

Jesus has preached His last message to the crowds. Now
He spends one final night before His suffering and death with
His disciples in the upper room, preparing them for what is
about to happen.

In the middle of supper Jesus does something totally
unexpected. Taking off His outer garments He goes around the
table washing the disciples' feet one by one, the way the
lowliest slave in the household would. It is a demonstration of
His absolute humility, love and care -- a demonstration He will
repeat for the whole world the next day on the cross.

For Peter it is too much. He objects and receives a firm
correction from Jesus: "If I do not wash you, you have no share
with Me." Then Peter goes to the other extreme asking Jesus to
wash all of him. Jesus points out that the one who has had a
bath does not need to bathe again, only to wash the part of him
that is unclean.

Jesus is pointing to Judas, the one who has abandoned his Lord
and become unclean and is even now awaiting the chance to
betray Him. The other eleven are forgiven, cleansed of their sins
because they still walk in the light by faith; Judas has rejected
that light and walks in darkness. Very gently Jesus reaches out
to His lost disciple in an unforgettable demonstration of His love,
 forgiveness and acceptance. It's a demonstration He wants Judas
to remember when he is gripped by guilt and remorse for what he
is about to do.

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, forgive my wandering heart. Help me to see Your great
love for me and remember what You have done to save me. Amen. 

Written by Rev. Wayne Palmer

"How Can the Christ be Lifted Up?"

Lenten Devotion

(Jesus said) "And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw
all people to Myself" (John 12:32). 

Read John 12:33-50.

The crowds are confused. Jesus has told them He will be
"lifted up," and they know exactly what He means. Being "lifted
up from the earth" was a familiar phrase describing death on a
cross. But they all know the Christ remains forever, so how can
Jesus be the Christ if He will die on a cross?

It's easy for us to share that confusion too. God's light doesn't
always make sense to our sin-darkened minds. Jesus simply
tells them, "The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk
while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you." Satan is
always trying to overtake us, trying to snatch away the light from
us.

One of the tools he uses is the confusing things that happen in
this life, things that don't always make sense to us. Often our
search for answers leads us to question God and doubt His love.
Jesus just encourages us to walk in Him. He invites us to lay
those questions at the foot of His cross, to focus instead on the
extent of His love for us. It's a love that moved Him to lay down
His life in terrible suffering that we might be forgiven.

We don't understand every reason for everything that happens to
us. And we won't always find all the answers to all our questions,
but we don't have to. We only need to walk in Christ's light and
keep looking to Him. At the right time He will make everything
clear.

THE PRAYER:

Heavenly Father, I don't always understand the things I see around
me. Help me to come to Your Son's cross, that there I may know
Your love and receive Your strength. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Written by Rev. Wayne Palmer

"My Soul is Troubled"

Lenten Devotion

"And (Jesus said) "'Now is My soul troubled. And what shall I say?
'Father, save Me from this hour'? But for this purpose I have come
to this hour'" (John 12:27).

Read John 12:27-33.

Jesus has just told His disciples why He has come to Jerusalem:
He is to suffer and die for the world. But the thought is not easy for
Jesus to face. He says, "Now is My soul troubled." We see that
turmoil again when He falls on His face in agony in the Garden of
Gethsemane (see Luke 22).

Here He prays, "Father, glorify Your Name." He doesn't ask the
Father to save Him from the cross but to use His suffering and
death on the cross to glorify His Name. He wants people to look
at the cross and believe that "God so loved the world that He gave
His only-begotten Son." In Gethsemane God will send an angel to
strengthen His Son, but here He speaks to Jesus. "I have glorified
it, and I will glorify it again."

We all come face to face with overwhelming situations and
struggles in life -- heartbreak and loss, grief beyond telling, the
shadow of death -- whether our own or that of a loved one.

Jesus has come to this hour in His life to be the answer to the
overwhelming situations in each of our lives. He will be raised up
to draw all men to Himself. This was done so that in Jesus Christ
each of us might find the answer to our problems, the courage for
the trials we face and the victory over Satan who brought all these
situations upon us through his temptation.

THE PRAYER:

Heavenly Father, You glorified Your Name in the sufferings of Your
beloved Son Jesus Christ. Glorify Your Name through me as You
give me strength and courage to face the difficult times in my life.
I pray in Jesus' Name. Amen.

Written by Rev. Wayne Palmer