Light for Today, Monday, April 6

 

Light for Today

 

 

 

Jesus’ First Last Word

  And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”  (Luke 23:33-34)

Monday, Holy Week

O God, who in the death of your beloved Son endured for our sake the agony of the cross; grant to us we pray, such a measure of your Spirit that we may not shrink from loss or pain in your service but may do all we can with your aid to help one another and to foster well-being on earth.  Forbid that we should complain of burdens and ills that are not worthy to be compared with the sufferings of Christ or the wounds of many among his faithful disciples.  Save us from weakness and futility of self-pity, and from faithless worry and anxiety.  Give us grace to forget ourselves in concern for others.  Teach us to find healing for our hurt in unwearied efforts to heal the hurt of the world.  Fill us with your own compassion that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort we are comforted with in you.  Through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen

Dear friends,

We don’t know what we are doing.

This generation has never been under a stay-at-home quarantine order before in order to keep a deadly virus at bay.  The temptation in this moment is to blame this or that leader, or express frustration over short-sighted people in the past, or to lash out in fear at people who are doing their best to manage this unmanageable situation.  Does this help or hurt?  You be the judge.

None of us expected this.  Yet here we are.  None of us planned for this.  Yet here we go.  None of us ever thought such a scenario could have presented itself in the way it has.  Yet we are seeing things unfold that have never unfolded before.

This is new.

Just like the first Holy Week.  There were lots of deaths that happened by crucifixions in the Roman world.  Criminals, murderers, thieves, and traitors were often nailed to a piece of wood sticking up from the ground and left to die.  They were placed like sign posts on busy roads to warn others from making the same mistakes.  Never before in the history of the planet, however, was a man placed upon a cross who was completely innocent; someone who was totally perfect in every way.  Never before and never again would the Author of Life, the Creator of All, the God of the Universe fall under the death penalty for a crime that He never committed, nor would commit.  What injustice!  It is unthinkable that such a deed was done!

Yet sweet injustice it is.  Our Lord and Savior Jesus, the Son of God, offered himself in mercy for fallen humanity.  He took upon himself all the injustices of the world, all the crimes, misdemeanors, felonies, idolatries, immoralities, and mistakes, and he paid for them in full by his innocent suffering and death, and with his holy, precious blood.  The Son of God was given in exchange for you!

“There is no forgiveness apart from the shedding of blood.”  So say the Rules of Justice in God’s Good Book.  On the cross Jesus has said to you and me, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

We truly don’t.

I invite you to meditate on this first last word of Jesus, and if you have some time to kill(!), meditate on Isaiah 52:13-53:12 (The Suffering Servant Song).

Walking with you in the journey to the cross,
Pastor Langdon Reinke

P.S.   Hope you and your family are faring well.  If you want to talk, call me or respond to this email.  I will get your message and we can chat. We are in this together.  We have help available if there are needs.  Please let us know.

 

 

 

 

Have something to share?

Do you have a thought, a devotion, a scripture, or prayer to share? Send it to me at pastor@beautifulsaviorspokane.org.  I look forward to sharing what God puts on your heart.

Leah Nichols shared an album that has given her comfort in times like these.  It is from Cardiphonia Music.  Below is the note from them that describes the creation of the album and a link to listen.  If you like it, please send a little financial something to support the group.  It goes without saying, but please keep Leah and Ryan and all of those who serve on the front lines in your prayers as the COVID-19 ramps up this week and next.

From Cardiphonia Music
Hi Friends,

So excited to share this new endeavor of comfort.  From our bedrooms, basements, and attic nooks a group of friends, artists, and churchly creators put their digitals talents to the test. We traded audio files, lyrical enhancements, and arrangement ideas that were then lovingly sewn together by our mix-master Drew Elliot. We dug into the depths of sung prayer. Where the faithful go in trying times. We wrote our own psalms, recrafted old hymns, and attempted new ones. We felt like brewmasters taking our skills and lending them to hand sanitizer. We’ve left our studios and holy spaces for the confines of chaotic houses. But we’ve also found true joy in this work and hope that it might lend a bit of light to your lives.

bellwetherarts.bandcamp.com/releases

Every penny of support we receive will go towards blessing Mosaic counseling ministries which strives to provide accessible and affordable professional counseling services.

For your comfort in the hands of Jesus Christ.

Grace and Peace,
Bruce

 

 

 

 

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Categories: Daily Devotional