Looking Back

Life experiences teach me the most valuable lessons about myself and who I am as a follower of Christ.  Don't you agree?  We experience life, both positive and negative, and learn how to replicate the process, or learn from a bad decision and promise yourself that you will never make that mistake again!  We all have this in common.

One life lesson which has helped me over the years is the value of reflecting.  So many times I become anxious to continue moving forward to the next thing without taking the time to PAUSE and reflect, or look back, at a life experience, and try to apply a life lesson before I move forward.  So, today, on this Monday after Passion Week, I am going to practice the art of reflection and look back at my week before I go forward with the rest of my life.

What did I learn as I walked through Passion Week? 

On Monday, I saw Jesus become outraged at the sight of people selling goods and sacrifices for their own personal gain in the House of God.  I was reminded that I should never use God for my own selfish gain in life.  There is no room for this in the House of God.  I asked God to turn over the tables in my life so there was nothing left on it but a broken relationship that needed to be mended.

On Thursday, I saw Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane praying with all of His might to His Father, asking for deliverance from what He knew was going to come.  He prayed with such might that He literally was bleeding sweat drops of blood.  Later that night he met with His followers to break bread and share with them what was to come, even though many of them had no understanding of the impact of that last time together.  As I reflect, I become overwhelmed with conviction with my personal prayer life and the lack of passionate prayer I have with the Father.  No matter what Jesus was facing, his first response was to go to the Father, rely on the Father and TRUST in the Father, even when it meant His life would end on earth.  Prayer is foundational to the Christ follower.

On Friday, I saw Jesus broken, beaten and crucified.  Jesus was on display with His hands stretched open wide for the world to see...how vulnerable He was before the world.  Here was the most powerful man in history hanging helpless on the cross - enduring the scorn, pain, brutality and agony - to stay there and do nothing.  Why would he do such a thing?  As I reflect, I can do nothing more than bow my head to Him in reverence and humbleness.  The King came to die like this, for me?  Why?  I grew up knowing John 3:16 and knowing He gave His only son to die for my sins.  I know that, but this Friday, I really went to the Cross of Jesus.  "What a sacrifice, that saved my life.  O the blood, it is my victory."

On Sunday, I saw Jesus glorified and lifted up and celebrated.  What a day it must have been to realize the Temple - Christ BODY - was truly rebuilt in three days!  The Christ literally was raised from the dead.  The Savior did exactly what the prophets foretold he would do.  Jesus was alive.  As I reflect, I lift my hands to Him in praise.  I am moved to emotion that is difficult to contain.  I am even speechless.  The Savior has stared death in the face - Satan himself, and overcame it all and is alive.  He is alive.  By trusting in Him as my Lord and Savior, He has given me a hope and a future, a true understanding in Him and through Him I have purpose for living and a place in eternity through Him.

So, as I reflect, I thank you, Jesus, for a week of remembrance - a difficult week to walk through, but a week that has brought me closer to my walk with you as my Lord and Savior.  It is good to look back and remember.  Father, may I move forward from this week learning the valuable lessons from Passion Week.  Might my prayer life be stronger, my life be seen as an open book before you, and might I raise my hands to you in celebration for the sacrifice you made for me on the cross.  I love you Lord.

What is Maundy Thursday?

Today is Maundy Thursday.  What is Maundy Thursday?  Maundy Thursday is observed during Holy Week on the Thursday before Easter. Also referred to as "Holy Thursday" or "Great Thursday" in some Christian denominations, Maundy Thursday commemorates the Last Supper when Jesus shared the Passover meal with his disciples on the night before he was crucified. In contrast to joyful Easter celebrations when Christians worship their resurrected Savior, Maundy Thursday services are typically more solemn occasions, marked by the shadow of Jesus' betrayal.

What a day this is in remembrance of what Christ did to conquer death and sin!  We remember on this Holy Thursday the culmination of three years of ministry by Jesus.  He is surrounded by his friends, sharing His life with them and instructing them on what is next.  

Read this passage.
1 Corinthians 11:23-32

 ²³ For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, ²⁴ and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me." ²⁵ In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me." ²⁶ For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

 ²⁷ So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. ²⁸ Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. ²⁹ For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. ³⁰ That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. ³¹ But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment. ³² Nevertheless, when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be finally condemned with the world.

Let us remember on this day.  Love you Father.  Thank you for the sacrifice of your Son, Jesus.  Amen.

What is Maundy Thursday?

Today is Maundy Thursday.  What is Maundy Thursday?  Maundy Thursday is observed during Holy Week on the Thursday before Easter. Also referred to as "Holy Thursday" or "Great Thursday" in some Christian denominations, Maundy Thursday commemorates the Last Supper when Jesus shared the Passover meal with his disciples on the night before he was crucified. In contrast to joyful Easter celebrations when Christians worship their resurrected Savior, Maundy Thursday services are typically more solemn occasions, marked by the shadow of Jesus' betrayal.

What a day this is in remembrance of what Christ did to conquer death and sin!  We remember on this Holy Thursday the culmination of three years of ministry by Jesus.  He is surrounded by his friends, sharing His life with them and instructing them on what is next.  

Read this passage.
1 Corinthians 11:23-32

 ²³ For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, ²⁴ and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me." ²⁵ In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me." ²⁶ For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

 ²⁷ So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. ²⁸ Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. ²⁹ For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. ³⁰ That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. ³¹ But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment. ³² Nevertheless, when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be finally condemned with the world.

Let us remember on this day.  Love you Father.  Thank you for the sacrifice of your Son, Jesus.  Amen.

And Then There was Monday

 ¹² Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. ¹³ “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it a ‘den of robbers.’ ”

Yesterday, Jesus was celebrated with shouts of praise all over our country and world as churches remembered this special day and what it represented...Palm Sunday; a day that Jesus entered into the city of Jerusalem.  "Hosanna" they would shout.  "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord".  "Salvation is here!"  "Hosanna, God is with us!"  Jesus was riding in on a donkey as a humble servant, entering a place he had not been to for over 30 years.


On this Monday 2000 years ago, we see a very different side to the personality of Christ.  Jesus returned to the temple - GOD'S HOUSE, and there was activity occurring that was inappropriate to worship.  Not only were people using the temple for their own personal gain, the people had lost their focus - they lost their first love.  They were so concerned with a ritual, religious acts and making a profit.  Jesus entered HIS HOUSE and was outraged!  "My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it a ‘den of robbers.’"  He yelled at them, turned over tables, got right in their faces and pointed His finger at them.  I could imagine His saying, "YOU FOOLS!  DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ARE DOING?"


You see, Jesus was returning to the temple - a dwelling place of God and the Spirit of God.  Jesus was returning to make all the wrongs right this week.  Jesus was entering the temple to clean up the mess that sin and selfishness created, and all for the name of God.  What a scene.  This is what Jesus dealt with on this Monday.


So, for you and me this Monday, are we selfish?  Are we religious in our actions all for the sake of our own gain and not for the gain of Jesus Christ?  If Jesus were to walk into our house, would he be furious, outraged, righteous in His actions of anger towards us, or would he be at rest and pleased?  What a reminder on this Monday to clean our house.  Prepare the way of the Lord.  He desires ALL OF OUR LIVES.  Give Him your life today.