Christian Reflection and Prayer

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

"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