Christian Reflection and Prayer

By Rev. Wayne Palmer

Read John 6:22-27.
"Jesus answered them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking
Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of
the loaves'" (John 6:26).  

Lenten Devotion- After the festival Jesus returned north to Galilee.
He spent a whole day preaching and then fed the huge crowd with
five loaves and two fish. That night after He sent them away, He
walked across the Sea of Galilee. Gathering again the next day,
the crowds walked around the lake to find Him.

At first those people sound like genuine followers of Jesus. But
our Lord knows better. They aren't really there for Him; they are
there for themselves. They want Jesus to be their king -- but only
on their terms. They aren't concerned with their deep eternal needs
like He is; they only want what Jesus can give them in the present.

We can be just as near-sighted as they. We are consumed with
today's needs and desires, but we don't see the more significant
eternal gifts Christ comes to bring. So we ask Him to help us
through our needs and problems, but we don't give a single thought
to His Kingdom and the part He would have us play in that Kingdom.

That is why coming to Christ in worship is so vital. Each week in
church He shows us the bigger picture -- the unending punishment
we deserve for our selfish, disobedient lives, as well as the
forgiveness and eternal future He gives us through His life, death and
resurrection. Yes, He knows and cares about all our earthly needs
and will provide for each of them just as He has provided for our
eternal needs.

THE PRAYER:

 Lord Jesus, when I get too wrapped up in this life and my daily needs,
lift my eyes to see the glorious future You have won for all of us by
Your life, death and resurrection. Amen.

"Just Asking for a Fight"
By Rev. Wayne Palmer

Read John 5:1-24.
"This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him,
because not only was He breaking the Sabbath, but He was
even calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with
God" (John 5:18). 

Lenten Devotion- Jesus left Jerusalem when things got pretty
tense, but now with a Jewish festival at hand, He heads right
back down toward the temple again. And He turns the heat
back up by healing an invalid on the Sabbath.

Jesus' enemies protest to this breaking of their Sabbath rules.
His perfectly natural answer totally enrages them. He says,
"My Father is working until now, and I am working." Instead
of seeing the Light, they stand in the darkness protesting that
Jesus is making Himself equal to God. But protest as loud as
they will, Jesus knows who He is and refuses to back down.

The darkness of their thinking is amazing. They would have
kept a man trapped in his paralyzed body to keep their
Sabbath rules. Thankfully, Jesus saw it differently. And He
sees it differently for you and me too. He sees us trapped and
helpless in our sins. And just as Jesus stood up for a paralyzed
man and set him free on the Sabbath, so will He stand up to
any and all opposition to set us free -- even though it cost Him
His life on the cross.

In the coming days we will see Jesus turn up the noise even
louder and see His enemies respond with more hatred. But we
will also see Him sacrifice Himself for them. Hanging from the
cross He will answer their taunts with a plea: "Father, forgive
them, for they do not know what they are doing. ..."
(Luke 23:34a).

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, You suffered and died to set me free. Fill me and
all Your children with joy and courage to share Your great story
of sacrifice and dedication to everyone. Amen.

By Rev. Wayne Palmer

Read John 4:46-54.
(Jesus said) "Unless you see signs and wonders you will not
believe" (John 4:48). 

Lenten Devotion- When Jesus' enemies in Jerusalem learned
He was becoming more popular than John the Baptist, He left
and returned to Galilee in the north. Huge crowds gather, but
Jesus knows their faith is shallow and superficial. When an
important official comes to ask the Lord to heal his dying son,
Jesus challenges the entire crowd: "Unless you see signs and
wonders you will not believe."

How deep is your faith? Can you take Him at His word, or do
you insist on more? If you listen closely you almost pick up a
tone of defiance in Jesus' voice ... or is it sorrow? He wants
them to believe, but they must believe on His terms, not theirs.

The official knew only one thing really mattered: his son was
dying and only Jesus could save him. So he begged Jesus to
come down and heal him. But Jesus didn't go. Instead, He
sent the father away with a promise: "Go; your son will live.
" Would you be able to trust Jesus and go?

The official did. He accepted Jesus' words and on the way
home he learned his faith had been well founded: his son was
healed.

We don't need to see miraculous signs to believe in Jesus
as our Savior. God uses old familiar words to give us faith;
He uses water and His Word to wash away our sins, and
He joins His body and blood to simple bread and wine to
forgive us all our sins.

Don't stay on the outside waiting to see some miracle in
your life before you'll follow Jesus. Learn a lesson from the
official above: the stakes are life and death, heaven and hell.

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, give me faith to trust Your words and promises
through every circumstance in my life. Amen.