Lent 2023 - Crucify

We have seen what we are not, and what God wants us to be, but are we willing to be battered into the shape of the vision to be used by God? The beatings will always come in the most common, everyday ways and through common, everyday people. Oswald Chambers from My Utmost for His Highest

The account of the trial and crucifixion of Christ is in all the Gospels. Like reading the Christmas story in Luke each year, this is the day we remember, listen to or read ourselves the recorded history of Jesus' last hours on earth. Unlike the Christmas story, this one is harder to hear. Full of partial truths and truths ignored, betrayals and beatings, cowards and cynics, guilt and innocence, the story lets us walk the Via Dolorosa with Jesus and the crowd as we call, "Crucify! Crucify!"

Read John 18:28-19:42

Jesus fulfills the Scripture, lives God's Plan of salvation for us, willingly and obediently in detail. He is crucified between two thieves, a picture of disgrace and disillusionment for those who doubt Him, those who believe in Him, those who love Him. And the crowd? From Hallelujah! to Crucify! in a week's time, the crowd scatters and scorns with uncertainty. We stand in the crowd, both watching and wondering, fickle and frightened, confused and concerned.

Today, we are still standing in the crowd - we are the everyday people. We either endure the everyday beatings or participate in them. We either determine our worth and applaud our own plans, or we confess our sins and need for Grace. We either seek the world's approval or humbly accept God's plan. We are arrogant or obedient, either rolling the dice for a piece of Jesus or embracing the completeness of Perfect Love. We are the everyday reasons that Jesus is broken bread and poured out wine.

consider this!

• Why did the Jewish leaders say they wanted Jesus put to death?
• Did Pilate find Jesus guilty?
• Matthew 27:35-44; Mark 15:25-32; Luke 23:32-43; John 19:18-27: These are the Gospel's accounts of Jesus being placed on the cross. List all the people around the cross. What names are missing from the list that you would have expected? 

Holy Father ~ My heart comes to the foot of the cross and recognizes Jesus as the Son of the Most High, the Savior and Redeemer of the world. I kneel and bow and weep that my sins nail Him to the cross, place the crown of thorns on His head, mock Him and reject Him. And still, He loves me more than I can understand. He willingly is battered and endures the beatings for me, for all of us. Forgiveness is mine. Grace reigns. Help me seek Your vision for my life. Let me endure what I must to honor You, to give You glory. Holy! Holy! Holy! You are Lord! Amen. ~dho

*previously published on this blog/dho/2009

Lent 2023 - Crowd

Meister Eckhart (1260-1327): The temple God wants to be master of is the human soul, which he created and fashioned just like himself. We read that God said, “Let us make man in our own image.” . . . He made each soul so much like himself that nothing else in heaven or on earth resembles him as much. . . God wants the temple to be pure, so pure that nothing should dwell there except he himself. And that is the reason why he is so pleased when we really prepare our souls for him.

A growing crowd had followed Jesus these last weeks, watching and testifying to what they had witnessed ~ Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead, His many miracles of healing, His parables and teachings. The religious rulers were threatened, fearing the crowd was beginning to follow Jesus, struggling with supernatural possibility and personal pride.

Read John 12:17-19

The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, "You see that you are accomplishing nothing. Look, the world has gone after Him."
John 12:19 NKJV

The crowd, like the Pharisees, came with their own agendas. Some caught up in the excitement of the moment, some looking for something extraordinary and some skeptical but curious. The Pharisees thought the crowd was foolish, but wanted to find something to discredit Jesus' popularity. We are sometimes the crowd ~ watching, wondering, looking for more! We are sometimes like the Pharisees ~ cynical, doubting, expecting less!

consider this!

• Picture yourself in the crowd. Who are you? What do you expect from Jesus?
• Consider yourself a Pharisee. What rules would you enforce? What questions do you ask?
• How are you preparing your soul for the living Christ?

Holy Father ~ Prepare my soul for the journey it must take. Help me step away from the crowd to be with You, to listen for You, to feel You near. Take my cynicism and make it compassion. Take my doubt and make it trust. Take my soul to Your high places of blessing. Amen. ~dho

** previously posted on this blog/dho/2009

Lent 2023 - Believe

This is and has been the Father's work from the beginning - to bring us into the home of His heart.  George MacDonald

Despite the miracles Jesus performed, there were those who did not believe He was the Christ. There were those who did believe but were afraid to speak up, afraid of rejection or punishment. And still there were others in the crowd who believed, but their faith was fragile and weak. We, too, are standing in the crowd today. What do you choose?

Read John 12:37-50

Many people, including some of the Jewish leaders, believed in Him. But they wouldn't admit it to anyone because of their fear that the Pharisees would expel them from the synagogue. For they loved human praise more than the praise of God.  John 12:42-43 NLT

Jesus shouted to the crowds, "If you trust Me, you are really trusting God who sent Me." John 12:44 NLT

God's plan from the beginning was to offer us a way back to Him, to offer us salvation. We can read all the books ever written and ask all the questions ever wondered and still not have the evidence that our human minds crave. Grace came into the world in the form of Perfect Love, not in the way the world found logical. How often we choose human praise over God's praise! How seldom we really place our trust in God! Yet, God still chooses us!

consider this!

• What evidence is necessary to secure your belief in Christ?
• Using Jesus' words (vs. 44-50), explain Christ's purpose in coming to earth the first time?
• How does your desire for human praise stand in the way of trusting in God's Plan?

Lord ~ We stand in the crowd watching. Some around us choose the world, and others choose You but are afraid to tell. Then, there are those that choose the Grace that only Perfect Love can give. Forgive us when we find the world's applause more appealing than the Spirit's whispers. Forgive us when we stand in the crowd, and no one knows we stand with You. Amen. ~dho

** previously posted on this blog/2009/dho

Lent 2023 - Purpose

God by His providence brings you into circumstances that you can't understand at all, but the Spirit of God understands. God brings you to places, among people, and into certain conditions to accomplish a definite purpose through the intercession of the Spirit in you.  Oswald Chambers from My Utmost for His Highest

Situations that we do not understand happen all the time. Disasters, poverty, crime and diseases are part of everyday life. We live in a fallen world; sin rules, and Satan is the prince of darkness. Yet, God can take each of these circumstances ~ especially the hardest ones that are beyond understanding ~ and show us how we can use them to give Him glory.

Read John 9:1-7

Jesus said, "You're asking the wrong question. You're looking for someone to blame. There is no such cause-effect here. Look instead for what God can do. We need to be energetically at work for the One who send me here… I am the world's Light. John 9:3-5 The Message 

In a crisis, the one question that usually remains unanswered is "WHY". Scripture tells us not to waste time assigning blame, rather we are to see God in every circumstance, looking for a way to be the light of Jesus to the world. Will we understand everything then? No! The right questions are How can I best praise God in this crisis? Will others see Jesus in my reactions? Am I turning to God for His vision in difficult times?. 

consider this!

• In verse 2, what question did the disciples ask Jesus?
• Did the blind man approach Jesus and ask for healing?
• How is Jesus improving your vision?

Jesus ~ You are the Great Physician who heals the bruised and broken. How often I think that only means physical healing. You always offer spiritual healing through difficult circumstances. The world blames You when life becomes dark and complicated. But You are Light and Love! Teach me how to praise God in all things, at all times. For His Goodness is everlasting. Amen. ~dho

*previously published on this blog/2009/dho

Lent 2023 - Love

Our preciousness, uniqueness, and individuality are not given to us by those who meet us in clock-time - our brief chronological existence - but by the One who has chosen us with an everlasting love, a love that existed from all eternity and will last through all eternity. Henri Nouwen from Life of the Beloved (pg. 51)

Tennyson wrote I am a part of all that I have met. We are the same - with our experiences mingling and mirroring and monitoring the experiences of those we meet. This is what Nouwen refers to as our brief chronological existence. Yet, more importantly, how do we live?

Read 2 John 1:4-6

I can't tell you how happy I am to learn that many members of your congregation are diligent in living out the Truth . . . Love means following His commandments, and His unifying commandment is that you conduct your lives in love… 2 John 1:4,6 The Message 

The love John writes about is a Holy Love that God gives to us just because He chooses to love us. Mostly, our finite minds cannot comprehend any person who would love us ~ just as we are. God's generous Love stands ready to shape us into more while we waiver casually in search of self. Truth calls to us conduct your lives in love!

consider this!

• Think about how consistently you conduct your lives in love.
• God's commandment is "to love" ~ Was John teaching something new?
• Are you becoming "more"? Do you credit "clock-time" or "God's Love?

Lord ~ In our every day, the world influences us, tells us partial truths, places unworthy desires in our hearts. The world calls and is unrelenting. But You - You whisper songs of mercy, show us Eternal Truth, embrace us with extravagant love. Why do we choose the world over You? Help us see the One who chooses us! Teach us to be diligent. Amen. ~dho

*previously published on this blog/2009/dho

Lent 2023 - Truth

Whatever keeps me from my Bible is my enemy, however harmless it may appear to me. A.W. Tozer

The secular response to Christ - if there is any acknowledgement - is that Christ was a great teacher and a good person. The world says there are no absolute truths, that truth is what you believe to be true. The Holy Scriptures, the foundation of the Christian faith, tell a different story. Christ is the Living Son of God, the willing and sinless sacrifice offered for all the iniquities of humanity. He has always been and will always be. Jesus came in human form to earth to fulfill God's Plan of salvation for mankind. There ARE truths that must be part of our faith statement as Christians. Without these absolute truths, we claim a belief in nothing more than good intentions.

Read 1 John 2:18-29

So you must remain faithful to what you have been taught from the beginning. If you do, you will continue to live in fellowship with the Son and with the Father. And in this fellowship we enjoy the eternal life He promised us. . . you have received the Holy Spirit and He lives within you. . . For the Spirit teaches you all things, and what He teaches is true. 1 John 2:24,27 NLT

Through careful and continued study of the Scriptures, these truths become more clear. God reveals Himself to us today through the Living Word. The Scriptures are both ancient and living words, telling us the stories of old and using these lessons for today. Our struggles in the world are no different than centuries ago. There was unbelief then and unbelief today. Then - time after time, faith required a bold stance in the face of uncertainty, and today - we must continue to stand boldly in faith to our Creator, Redeemer and King.

consider this!

• How do believers come to more fully understand the character of God?
• Why does the world dilute and deny the absolute truths in the Scriptures?
• What do you believe about Christ?

Spirit of the Living God, fall fresh on me. Father, Son and Spirit ~ three in One ~ we cannot understand Perfect Love, but we can accept this Gift by faith. Give us the courage to grow in understanding of the Living Word, to share the truths about Christ, so we might be light in the darkness. Amen. ~ dho

* 1 John 2:28 The Message - . . . Live deeply in Christ.

*previously published on this blog/2009/dho