Christian Reflection and Prayer

Read Psalm 119: 137-144.

TEXT: But I am ... scorned by mankind and despised by
the people (see Psalm 22:6).

Jesus' enemies surround His cross like cruel children who
have stepped on a worm and now laugh as they watch it
wriggling and writhing in pain.
 
The Roman soldiers standing watch over Him treat Him with
shame and contempt. They stripped and flogged Him,
crowned Him with thorns, and mocked and ridiculed His
claim to be King of the Jews. They forced Him to carry His
cross and nailed His hands and feet to it. On the cross they
mock Him, holding their sour wine just outside His reach
and saying, "If You are the King of the Jews, save yourself!"
(See Luke 23:36-37.)

It's not surprising the Romans would scorn Him, but what
about His own people? Wouldn't they recognize Him as their
God, their Messiah? No. They despised Him. Months before
His neighbors in His home town of Nazareth tried to throw
Him off a cliff to His death (see Luke 4:28-30). Later, Jews
in Jerusalem tried to stone Him (see John 8:59). Just a few 
hours earlier His own High Priest Caiaphas summoned false
witnesses against Him. Then when He was taken before
Pontius Pilate, Caiaphas acted as prosecutor to pressure the
Roman governor to condemn Him to death.
 
When they finally got their way and Jesus was hanging from
the cross you might think they'd have the decency to leave
Him be. But no, they stand before Him scoffing and saying,
"He saved others; let Him save Himself, if He is the Christ of
God, His Chosen One!" (See Luke 23:35.)

He can't save Himself. He's bleeding and dying on the cross
to save them -- and us.

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus Christ, while the Romans and Jews stood beneath
You, mocking and ridiculing, You were shedding Your precious
blood to pay for their sins. Forgive my sins and strengthen my
faith in You. Amen.

(Lenten Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries)

Read Psalm 69.

TEXT: But I am a worm and not a man (see Psalm 22:6).

Psalm 22 is a fascinating prayer. Our Lord Jesus Christ
keeps going back and forth in His prayer. First, He's
sharing His troubles with God; then He's listening as God
speak to Him through His word, the Bible. First, Jesus
spoke about being forsaken and God not listening; then
He recalled the times God faithfully delivered the people
of Israel who called upon Him in their need. Now Jesus
goes back to sharing His pain and sufferings with His God.

In these verses we see the incredible accuracy of this
psalm as detail after detail of Jesus' crucifixion unfolds,
beginning with Jesus calling Himself a worm and not a man.
If you were to stand and watch a person hanging from a
cross you would be reminded of a worm wriggling and
writhing in pain. The crucified victim twists and turns His
body seeking some relief from the excruciating agony.

Yet the prophecy goes far deeper than Jesus' physical
sufferings. It speaks how His enemies think of Him. They
refuse to treat Him with the common decency and dignity
any human deserves, treating Him instead as though He
was a contemptible worm to be crushed underfoot.
 
When the mighty Son of God became man He was already
taking an incredible step down. But when He surrendered
Himself to arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane, He stepped
even lower-exposing Himself to mockery, scorn, torment,
torture, even crucifixion itself.
 
He humbled Himself in loving obedience to His Father's will,
and in an undying concern for your salvation.

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus Christ, You are Lord and God of all. Yet, You
humbled Yourself as though You were a worm, not even a
man. Receive my humble gratitude and praise. Amen.

(Lenten Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries)

Read Psalm 106.

TEXT: To You they cried and were rescued; in You they
trusted and were not put to shame (Psalm 22:5).

The overwhelming wrath of God for our sins has fallen on
Jesus as He hangs on the cross. Though His Father has
forsaken Him, the writer to the Hebrews reminds us,
"Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud
 cries and tears, to the One who was able to save Him
from death. And He was heard because of His reverence"
(see Hebrews 5:7). Jesus firmly clings to His Father,
trusting Him to rescue and deliver Him from death and hell.

But when all He sees is the Father's wrath, how can He
still cling to this trust? He thinks back to the experience of
His Jewish ancestors. Time and time again they fell into
great distress and trouble because of their sins. Then as
they were suffering they recognized their sins, turned to
God, and cried out to Him. And time and time again, God
heard their prayers, had mercy on them, forgave them, and
faithfully rescued them. They trusted in God's deliverance,
and that trust was not put to shame; God came through
and delivered them.

Though Jesus committed no sins, He is in sore distress
because He carries all of ours. But He knows His Father.
Once this payment has been made in full Jesus will give up
His spirit and God will give Him rest and peace in His
presence.
 
When we face times of sore distress we can call upon our
Heavenly Father for Jesus' sake. We can then rest in the
sure confidence our trust in our Heavenly Father will not be
put to shame either.

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus Christ, help me cling to You in faith, just as You
clung to Your Father in Your time of sore distress. Amen.

(Lenten Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries)