THE STORY OF BETRAYAL

“On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, ‘Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?’ He replied, ‘Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, “The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with My disciples at your house.”’ So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover. When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve.”  (Matthew 26:17-20 NIV)

The Passover is meant to be a festive and celebratory time, filled with joy as participants remember that those who were slaves were now set free, at last becoming one people, the people of God. If indeed the Last Supper began with such a tone, it changed during the course of the evening. Even beyond Jesus' foreknowledge of events, there was great apprehension in the room. Everyone was conscious of the heightened tension between Jesus and the religious leaders. They all wondered what was going to happen to Jesus -- and to them. Would there be repercussions from His action in the Temple? Might He finally proclaim Himself Messiah?

Jesus cut through the uncertainty with a statement so electric it still echoes across the centuries. "One of you," He said, looking at them in the sudden stillness of the Seder celebration, "will betray Me." (Mark 14:18)

He knew which one it was, but He did not say. "Surely, not I?" the disciples asked. (Mark 14:19) "It is one of the twelve, one who is dipping bread into the bowl with Me" (Mark 14:20), Jesus said, probably referring to the bowl of charoset before them.

The story of betrayal winds its way through the rest of the Gospel accounts of the final twenty-four hours of Jesus' life. Before the night was through, Judas would betray Jesus; Peter would deny Him; and the disciples would desert Him, leaving Jesus utterly alone as He faced trial at the hands of His enemies.

The echoes of Jesus' prediction and of the acts of betrayal by those closest to Him are still discomfiting. In our own age,… we realize that such betrayals are commonplace. Jesus might well have said, "All of you will betray Me;" and with that realization, we must look finally at ourselves. 

-- Adam Hamilton in “24 Hours That Changed the World” 

#6340

REALLY, LORD?

“Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but He died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but He was raised to life in the Spirit.”  (1 Peter 3:18 NLT)

Really now, Lord Jesus, is our sin so serious as to necessitate the sort of ugly drama we are forced to behold on Good Friday? Why should the noon sky turn toward midnight and the earth heave and the heavens be rent for our mere peccadilloes? To be sure, we’ve made our mistakes. Things didn’t turn out as we intended. There were unforeseen complications, factors beyond our control. But we meant well. We didn’t intend for anyone to get hurt. We’re only human, and is that so wrong?

Really now, Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, we may not be the very best people who ever lived, but surely we are not the worst. Others have committed more serious wrong. Ought we to be held responsible for the ignorance of our grandparents? They, like we, were doing the best they could, within the parameters of their time and place. We’ve always been forced to work with limited information. There’s always been a huge gap between our intentions and our results.

Please, Lord Jesus, die for someone else, someone whose sin is more spectacular, more deserving of such supreme sacrifice. We don’t want the responsibility. Really, Lord, is our unrighteousness so very serious? Are we such sinners that You should need to die for us?

Really, if You look at the larger picture, our sin, at least my sin, is so inconsequential. You are making too big a deal out of such meager rebellion. We don’t want Your blood on our hands. We don’t want our lives in any way to bear the burden of Your death. Really. Amen. 

-- Will Willimon in “The Best of Will Willimon”

#6339

RIDING ON A DONKEY

A prince is identified with privilege, rank, and special benefits, but Jesus, the Prince of Peace, comes into Jerusalem riding on a donkey, a symbol of lowliness. His entrance is greeted with affirmation and acclamation. There is a joyous mood in the crowd as the people anticipate the promise of the prophets before them.

"Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey. I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the warhorses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off; He shall speak peace to the nations; His dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth."  (Zechariah 9:9-10 NKJV)

The promise of peace for a people plagued by war and strife was wonderful news. Perhaps now their long agony would come to an end. The promise of peace is enough to make suffering people celebrate. Do you suffer today? Sometimes the wars within are as devastating as the wars without. At some time in our lives, most of us will know the darkness of loneliness, disappointment, and despair. When the prince of peace comes to offer release, redemption, help, and hope, we are also filled with joy and the “hosannas” burst from our lips as well.

Jesus chose the way of peace in a violent world. He taught His disciples to do the same. Just for a moment Peter forgot, and because of that, one in the arresting party lost an ear. But still Jesus rebuked Peter and courageously continued His journey as the Prince of Peace on the way to His own death.  

-- Rueben P. Job in “A Guide to Prayer for All Who Seek God”

#6335

IT’S ALL ABOUT JESUS

For many years during my ministry at the two churches I served -- in Cleveland Heights, Ohio and in Green Bay, Wisconsin – we produced Lenten devotional booklets for daily meditation during the forty days leading up to Easter. We would come up with a theme each year, members of the church would be invited to write a personal story, and I would desktop publish them for distribution to the congregation. I recently came across a file on my computer from 2005 containing that season’s authors who wrote on the theme “It’s All About Jesus.” I realized that a number of those faithful believers were now in the church eternal, and for many of them I had the honor of officiating at their memorial service. While they are no longer here on earth, their words of personal witness and spiritual wisdom live on. Such is the case with the following devotional.

-- Rev. David T. Wilkinson, SOUND BITES Ministry™

 

“THE MISSING PIECE” by Gerry Christoph (1931–2019)

I knew a lot about Jesus.  I attended Sunday School and church as a child.  I continued regular church attendance and Bible studies as an adult.  Church activities and Christian outreach were a part of my life.

I also had time and opportunity to participate in many fun activities, such as golf, tennis, bowling, and exercise classes.

In my early 40's I got to a point where my life was just the way I had always wanted it to be with a loving family, many friends, and many activities.

Why was I restless?  Why did I feel insecure?  It seemed like all my life I added new pieces so my life would feel complete.  I was still missing one piece.  I had a feeling it had something to do with God.  All my life I had a longing to know Him better.

The obvious thing to do was to read and pray and search.  After six months, I had less faith than when I started.  After deciding to abandon my search, I decided to pray one more time.  My prayer went something like this, "God, I've searched and searched for You and I can't find You."  Then I paused because I didn't know what to pray next.  To my amazement, God gave me the words to continue.  "I'm not as good as I want to be, and I'm certainly not as good as I want You to think I am, but if You will take my faults, I want You to be Lord of my life."  It was at that moment of being completely honest with God and completely relinquishing my life to Him that He filled every pore of my being with His love.  I had never felt so undeserving, but I had never felt so loved.  I knew I would never doubt again.  I knew I would never be the same again.  Jesus had come into my life when I prayed that prayer.  Jesus is the missing piece that has completed my life's picture.  It really is ALL ABOUT JESUS!  I praise His Holy Name.

#6327

THE BEATITUDES – A WINDOW INTO THE JESUS WAY

The Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-10) give us a window into the Jesus Way -- a way that runs against the grain of the world but leads us deeper into the heart of God. Jesus doesn’t begin His teaching with commands or demands. He begins with blessing. He names the overlooked, the weary, the humble, the hungry, and says, “You are seen. You are welcome. You are blessed.”

The Jesus Way is not about climbing higher but kneeling lower. It’s the way of poverty of spirit -- recognizing our need for God. It’s the way of meekness -- strength surrendered, not strength lost. It’s the way of mercy, purity, and peace -- living with a heart shaped by God’s compassion. And it’s the way of perseverance -- holding onto hope even when following Jesus is costly.

Walking the Jesus Way means trusting that God’s kingdom grows in unlikely places: in mourning hearts, in gentle hands, in those who hunger for righteousness, in those who choose peace over power. It’s a path marked not by self‑promotion but by self‑giving love.

During this Lenten season, look for one small way to embody the Jesus Way in your interactions.

Lord Jesus, teach me Your Way. Shape my heart to reflect Your kingdom -- humble, merciful, pure, and peace‑seeking. Help me walk in Your blessing and extend it to others. Amen. 

-- SOUND BITES Ministry™

#6315

THE PERSON OF JESUS

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind… The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”  (John 1:1-4, 14 NIV)

So what is the main thing?

Jesus.

But it’s not Jesus as an idea or an ideal or a set of teachings or miracles or sayings or doctrine or theology or paradigm or practices or habits or disciplines or T-shirts. Just Jesus. The beautiful person of Jesus. I’m not talking about Jesus without the Father and the Spirit, but without Jesus, we have no idea of the Father or the Spirit. Yes, I'm talking about New Testament Jesus; Jesus of Nazareth -- the Word from before the beginning of the Bible, who is its inspiration and author, its fire and fulfillment, and to whom every page points -- the Word made flesh. Jesus, our God.

Courage is not the absence of fear, discouragement, or despair. Courage is the presence of Jesus. Jesus is all the courage of God in a human person. The main thing, my friends, is the right here, right now presence of the person of Jesus. It is not so much about practicing the presence. It is about presencing the person of Jesus.

Father, thank You for sending us Jesus, without whom we would have no idea of You. And thank You for sending us the Spirit, who makes Jesus known to us and brings Him closer than our breath. How thankful we are to know you. Come, Holy Spirit, and help us to lift our hearts to Jesus, to set our minds on Jesus, to fix our eyes on Jesus, to focus our gaze on Jesus. He is our courage, and to be with Him is to be encouraged. Orient all the things into the thing of knowing Jesus, of presencing the person of Jesus -- for our good, for others’ gain, for Your glory. In Jesus’s name, amen. 

-- Excerpted from “Wake-Up Call” with J. D. Walt

#6312

CHOOSING REPENTANCE – Part 2 of 3

Contrary to popular opinion, repentance is not an emotion; but it is an attitude that leads to specific action. The Greek word metanoeo, which is translated “repent,” means “to change one’s mind.” The word pictures someone heading in one direction who, because of a change of mind, starts going in another direction. Maybe you have had the experience of driving down a street and suddenly noticing that all of the street signs are backwards and every other car is headed in the opposite direction, including those in your lane! What do you do? You make a quick U-turn and head in the opposite direction in order to avoid some serious consequences. In the same way, repentance both honestly acknowledges failure and causes a change of direction.

Repentance is not a popular topic today, because it requires us to honestly confront sin. None of us likes to be reminded of our faults. As the writer Maurice Samuel put it, “No man loves his alarm clock.” And yet the failure to confront sin can have a much more severe consequence than driving the wrong way down a one-way street or refusing to set an alarm clock. What is the result of not repenting? In a word, guilt.

The Psalmist captures this in Psalm 32:5. “Then I acknowledged my sin to You and I did not cover up my iniquity. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.’ And You forgave the guilt of my sin.” 

-- Adapted from “Choose Your Attitude, Change Your Life” (1992) by Robert Jeffress

#6310

CHOOSING REPENTANCE – Part 1 of 3

EDITOR’S NOTE: Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, a season the Church sets aside for reflection, humility, and renewed dependence on God. When the ashes are placed on our foreheads, as will be done today in many churches around the globe, we’re reminded of two profound truths: our human frailty and God’s endless mercy. The ashes don’t shame us -- they invite us to honesty. They call us to repent -- to turn FROM the sinful patterns that pull us away from God and to return TO the One who welcomes us with grace.

CHOOSING REPENTANCE – Part 1 of 3

“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.”  (Acts 3:19 NIV)

Many years ago, the following note in the thief’s handwriting was found in a stolen Trans Am returned by police to its owner in Los Angeles: “Your CB is in the trunk. The radio is out because I couldn’t stop my friend from taking it (insurance will cover radio). I’m sorry it had to be your car, but I was looking for one and the car lot left the key in and unattended. Your left back tire loses a little air at times. Your brake light comes on a lot and sometimes stays on when you drive (check your brakes.) I hope this didn’t put you out for me taking your car. I would have preferred a dealer’s car. But this was all that was available. Sorry (needs gas).”

Everyone -- including car thieves -- at one time or another faces moral failure. How do we deal with such failure? We have a choice. We can choose to ignore it or we can repent. Repentance is an attitude that chooses to confront sin rather than ignore it. And such an attitude choice is absolutely vital to our physical, emotional, and spiritual health.

Unfortunately, most of us have a limited view of repentance. We tend to think of repentance only in terms of salvation. The word repent conjures up images of some scraggly street preacher announcing the end of the world via a sandwich board. Yet, an examination of Scripture reveals that repentance is an attitude that is more characteristic of Christians than of non-Christians. It is not just a one-time action that ensures heaven after we die.  Instead, repentance is an attitude that confronts and deals with failure in every area of life. Martin Luther understood this truth. The first of the Ninety-five Theses he nailed to the church door in Wittenberg in 1517 read, “When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said, ‘repent,’ He willed that the entire life of believers be one of repentance.” 

-- Adapted from “Choose Your Attitude, Change Your Life” (1992) by Robert Jeffress

#6309

THE GIFT OF FORGIVENESS

“[The Lord] does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His steadfast love toward those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does He remove our transgressions from us.”  (Psalm 103:10-12 ESV)

There are few who will believe in and accept the forgiveness of God so completely as to let God bury their sins in God's forgiving mercy; or who, having once accepted that forgiveness, will leave their sin with God forever. They are always reopening the vault where they have deposited their sin, and are forever asking to have it back in order to fondle it; reconstruct, query, or worry over it; wear it inwardly. Thus their sin ties them to the past and finally dooms their lives in both the present and the future…

Forgiveness… can only be received by those who will accept its conditions.

To be cleansed and to accept the cleansing, then to move on into the present and the future as a forgiven and restored one, is the gift of the deepest prayer. 

-- Douglas V. Steere in “Dimensions of Prayer” published by The Upper Room, Nashville, TN.   Used with permission.

#6071

THE GIFT OF “BUT GOD”

“As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions -- it is by grace you have been saved.”  (Ephesians 2:1–5 NIV)

The good news is that we are not just changed, but we are forever changed!... The transformation that God is capable of doing in your life and mine is radical and it is eternal. When we make our lives an altar and choose each day to surrender, we will forever be changed.

Paul is quite direct with his words in this letter. He tells the believers that they, like him, were deserving of wrath. That’s the nature of humanity. We were sinners and we are sinners. But God. That can stand as a powerful sentence on its own. But God did not leave us as sinners to receive the punishment we deserved. But God did not turn His back on us. But God who is rich in mercy, perhaps better translated as abounding in mercy, saved us. And this is a mercy that meets us again and again as we surrender through confession and obedience to God…

What does Paul say God does because of His mercy? He makes us alive with Christ. The beauty of being alive, just like God’s mercy, is that we can experience this daily. In another of Paul’s letters he calls it walking “in newness of life” (Romans 6:4 CEB). And all of this comes as the gift of grace we have received because Jesus surrendered His life on a cross for us. It is the only reason we can be forever changed… Rest in the “but God” that has changed us from being dead in our transgressions to alive with Christ. 

-- Susan O. Kent in “Altar’d: The Transforming Power of Surrender”

#6070

EMBRACING SIMPLICITY IN A COMPLEX WORLD

“Speaking to the people, Jesus went on, ‘Take care! Protect yourself against the least bit of greed. Life is not defined by what you have, even when you have a lot.’”  (Luke 12:15 MSG)

The path of spiritual growth often requires us to walk through valleys of discomfort, but it is there we find clarity and deeper connection with Christ. The discipline of simplicity calls us to evaluate the layers of our lives, peeling away the excesses that cloud our spiritual vision.

In a world driven by materialism and social pressures, it is easy to lose sight of what truly matters. Our possessions, status, and the expectations of others can form barriers between us and our Savior. The call to discipleship is an invitation to shed these barriers and realign our focus on Christ.

Simplicity is not about deprivation; rather, it is about intentionality. It means regularly assessing our lives and making conscious choices to remove the clutter, both physical and spiritual. This could mean donating items we no longer need, limiting time spent on social media, or even simplifying our schedules to create more space for prayer and reflection.

As we practice the discipline of simplicity during Lent and beyond, we may find that our lives become lighter and our spiritual vision clearer. The process may not always be pleasant, but the reward is a deeper, more intimate relationship with Christ. Let us embrace simplicity, allowing it to guide us toward a life centered on our faith and purpose in Him. 

-- SOUND BITES Ministry, compiled from a variety of sources

#6067

BESETTING SINS

[Jesus said,] "All who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God."  (John 3:20-21 NRSV)

Lent is a time for self-examination and honest self-evaluation.... The ancient fathers spoke of "besetting sins," taking their terminology from Hebrews 12:1, which speaks of "laying aside the sins which ... beset us" (KJV) (literally, "the sins that stick to us like clothing"). By these they meant those traits within an individual's personality or those habits which were the weak spot in a person's spiritual life.... Each person [has] his or her weak point, the point where each [is] most vulnerable to spiritual attack by evil....

Picture Christ with a searchlight, turning it on your life and lighting up the corners of darkness where the "snakes and toads and monsters" are lurking. Let the light shine. It will burn away the darkness and whatever lives in it.

Remember that the light of Christ can never hurt you. It can only destroy what is harmful in you. It may feel painful if you have become deeply attached to your besetting sins, but it will be the pain that a surgeon causes while performing a lifesaving operation. 

-- Larry R. Kalajainen in “A Lenten Journey”

#6066

ASH WEDNESDAY BEGINS OUR LENTEN JOURNEY

“From that time Jesus began to preach His message: ‘Turn away from your sins, because the Kingdom of heaven is near!’”  (Matthew 4:17)

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, a season of reflection, repentance, and preparation leading up to Easter. It is a time for Christians to turn their hearts toward God, acknowledging their sin and human frailty and seeking His grace and mercy.

Some churches use ashes on Ash Wednesday, typically made from the palm branches of the previous year's Palm Sunday. When applied to the forehead in the shape of a cross, or on the back of the hand, they serve as a visible reminder of our mortality and the need for repentance. The words often spoken during this ritual, "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return," echo the humility and dependence on God's forgiveness that this day symbolizes.

Ash Wednesday invites us to pause and consider the state of our hearts. It is a call to let go of sin, to seek reconciliation with God, and to embark on a spiritual journey of renewal. This day also encourages acts of charity, prayer, and fasting, helping us to draw closer to God and to our community.

As we begin this Lenten journey, let us reflect on our need for God's grace and commit to walking the path of repentance and transformation. May this sacred time be an opportunity for deepening our faith and embracing the hope and promise of resurrection in Christ. 

-- SOUND BITES Ministry, compiled from a variety of sources

#6065

REPENTANCE REQUIRES TRUST AND HUMILITY

If our problem is really sin – a fundamental breach in human existence – then repentance, not self-improvement is the first requirement. This is the biblical view of the foundations of morality. The prophets, John the Baptist, Jesus, and Paul all beckoned their hearers to a new life by calling them first to give up the old in repentance. (See Mark 1:15; Luke 13:3-5; Acts 26:20; Romans 2:4; 2 Corinthians 7:9-10.)  Repentance is the absolutely inescapable first step of the Christian moral life. Without repentance, the Christian moral life is impossible.

Repentance requires two things: humility and trust. Repentance requires the humility involved in the confession that I am a sinner, one whose life is not whole and who lacks the power both to find either the direction to wholeness or the resources for wholeness on my own. Repentance requires trust in God’s power that can and will ultimately sustain and establish me if I let go of myself into God’s powerful hands. Without both trust and humility, repentance is impossible. 

-- Adapted from “Vision and Character” by Craig R. Dykstra

#5794

IT WAS HIS CHOICE

Jesus outlasted, outmaneuvered, and outthought every group, every power. But not just that. Mostly He just out-loved everybody. For Jesus in the garden had one agenda that superseded the agendas of all the others: love. On Friday, Jesus died for love. He said it was His choice. It wasn’t Pilate’s. It wasn’t Herod’s. It wasn’t Caesar’s. It wasn’t the chief priests’. It wasn’t the crowds’. He said, “I lay down my life for the sheep. . . . No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again.” (John 10:17b-18)

The cross was changed from the symbol of a human empire’s power into a symbol of the suffering love of God. It was changed from an expression of ultimate threat into an expression of ultimate hope. It came, in a sense, to express the exact opposite of its original purpose -- that the power of embraced sacrifice is greater than the power of coercion. How did this happen? Jesus chose it. He chose to die on it. After Friday, neither the cross nor the world could stay the same. 

-- John Ortberg in “Who Is This Man?”

#5576

THE RESPONSE TO GRACE

“From then on Jesus began to preach, ‘Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.’”  (Matthew 4:17 NLT)

The more deeply one enters into the experience of the sacred the more one is aware of one’s own personal sin and the destructive forces in society. The fact that one is alive to what is possible for humankind sharpens one’s sense that we are fallen people. The awareness of sin is the inevitable consequence of having met grace... This grace-judgment dynamic reveals that the center of Christian life is repentance. This does not mean that the distinguishing mark of the Christian is breast-beating. Feeling sorry, acknowledging guilt, and prolonging regret may be components of the human condition, but they are not what Jesus means by repentance. Repentance is the response to grace that overcomes the past and opens out to a new future. Repentance distinguishes Christian life as one of struggle and conversion and pervades it, not with remorse, but with hope. The message of Jesus is not “Repent,” but “Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.” 

-- Adapted from John Shea in “A Star at Its Rising”

#5546

TURNING FROM OUR OWN WAY

“Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. ‘The time has come,’ He said. ‘The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!’”  (Mark 1:14b-15 NIV)

Repentance is turning from our own way to God's way.  The evidences that we are going our own way are manifested in religious, moral, material, or social spheres.  We must repent specifically of these sins, for until repentance gets down to the specifics, it is not repentance.  But our basic sin is that we choose our own way rather than God's.  When we repent we say to God that we hand over to Him the reins of our lives.  We do what He wants us to do, not what we want to do. 

-- Ajith Fernando in “The Christian's Attitude Toward World Religions” 

#5545

LENT BEGINS

“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23 NIV)  “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23 NIV)

The Season of Lent is like a roller coaster ride with emotions that are down and up again and again as the story of our salvation makes plain our sinful ways and the cost of redemption. We begin with Ash Wednesday where we roughly bump up against our own mortality. Here we know that sin and death are real, and they are real not just for someone else. Sin and death are real for us. This is where we begin the Lenten Season, with our face pressed hard against the reality of our sin and our death. If we did not know how the story ends, this would be a dark and depressing journey. But we do know how the story ends and therefore in the midst of austerity and fasting we remember our faithful Savior and the Easter declaration that life is always victorious over death, always! 

-- Norman Shawchuck and Rueben P. Job in “A Guide to Prayer for All Who Seek God”

#5544

JOURNEY TO THE CROSS

"God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God."  (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Lent is a season of preparation and repentance during which we anticipate the death (Good Friday) and resurrection (Easter Sunday) of Jesus. It is this very preparation and repentance -- aimed at grasping the intense significance of the crucifixion -- that gives us a deep and powerful longing for the resurrection, the joy of Easter.

As the title of this devotional suggests, Lent is a journey to the cross: meditating on our sin and weakness, looking to Jesus as our perfect example and substitute, and being heightened in our worship of His victory over Satan, sin, and death. On the cross, Jesus took our place to appease God’s righteous anger toward our sin and rebellion. He was separated from God so that we could experience union with God. He was crushed by God so that we could be adopted by God. He was raised with God so that we too might be raised with God. The drama of how this unfolded is the story of Lent.

The journey of Lent is to immerse ourselves in this grand story so that it might increase our appreciation of Easter and love for Jesus. May we mourn the darkness in our hearts and rejoice in the light of God who came into the world to save us! 

-- From the Preface to the book “Journey to the Cross: Readings and Devotions for Lent” by Kendal Haug & Will Walker

#5323

YOU-TURNS ARE PERMITTED

Our home is on a cul-de-sac off of a dead end -- the dead end of a dead end. My wife and I can sit on our deck and watch cars come into our cul-de-sac thinking it is the way out. They quickly turn right around and go back down the street. 

Lent is a time of repentance. When one repents one turns around, changes direction. A dead end street is a good place to turn around.

Have you reached a point in life where you have realized that you have been going in the wrong direction? Have you reached a dead end? Do you need to turn around?

God is in the you-turn business. "I am sending you off to open the eyes of the outsiders so they can see the difference between light and dark, and choose light, see the difference between Satan and God, and choose God. I'm sending you off to present my offer of sins forgiven, and a place in the family, inviting them into the company of those who begin real living by believing in Me."  (Acts 26:17-18 MSG)

Real living in Christ begins with a you-turn. It begins with repentance. And you don't need to wait until you've reached a dead end.  

-- Rev. David T. Wilkinson 

#5300