Good morning!
Next week the season of Lent starts for many. This time of year, regardless of whether your Christian denomination celebrates Lent or not, is a worthy time to consider the journey Jesus took to the Cross for us as we prepare our hearts for Resurrection Sunday in April this year.
Consider these passages -
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”
Psalm 62:7, “My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge.”
For me, this is reflective time of year. I look forward to lent, at least for the last five or ten years. This morning, as is often the case during this time of year, I turn off the radio. The radio, even when being on KTIS, represents in some ways the noise of life. Turning off the radio provides me quiet time, reflection time, really most important time with God, with Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. Prayer time.
I fill this time with thoughts of two journeys – one a subset of the other – the first journey is that of Jesus Christ and His three year ministry starting with His 40 days in the desert and temptation by Satan. The second journey starts in my reflection with Jesus sitting down with the apostles for the last supper – so many little things shine the light of God’s beauty (and complexity) when considered.
During His ministry and during the last day before He was crucified, we see many of these moments of light, all bringing a taste of God’s love to us – which we should embrace. Have you experienced those moments at this time of year? As you reflect on how much God loves us, is there anything that stands out for you personally? The verses above key into some of the qualities of God’s love that the apostles experienced during the long journey and during that last day before Christ was crucified…
All of this was present through Jesus Christ during His time on earth and especially when he spent that last day with the apostles – compassion and comfort, washing of their feet, with them as they struggled to understand what Jesus was sharing with them about His need to be obedient to the Father and lay down His life for them – they were troubled - His promise to them of a Helper, Advocate, the Holy Spirit – providing them a foundation, a rock, a refuge.
So today, for each of us, through Jesus Christ, and the presence in us of the Holy Spirit, we have the same assurances from God and the same love from God. And because of this, we have been prepared to share God’s love in the work we do – to pour out the same love we receive from God to others. As shared in 2 Corinthians 1:4b “…, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”
We learn to comfort others in their troubles as God comforts us in our trouble. We learn to love as God loves us so we can share that love with others.
What journey has Jesus Christ walked with you on and what is He teaching you so that you might be a light to others?
Lord Jesus, my prayer for each of us going into this weekend is that each of us can find time to reflect on all the beauty that God provides during this special time of year. Because despite the painfulness of this part of the Good News, God through You, Jesus Christ and the Holy spirit, shares in His love in amazing ways and we can see those ways if we just pause, take time to reflect. Amen!
If you are reading this, go, pick up a Bible and read some of the journey of Jesus Christ – God’s love will shine.
Have a weekend filled with the Peace that comes from knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
Patrick
Next week the season of Lent starts for many. This time of year, regardless of whether your Christian denomination celebrates Lent or not, is a worthy time to consider the journey Jesus took to the Cross for us as we prepare our hearts for Resurrection Sunday in April this year.
Consider these passages -
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”
Psalm 62:7, “My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge.”
For me, this is reflective time of year. I look forward to lent, at least for the last five or ten years. This morning, as is often the case during this time of year, I turn off the radio. The radio, even when being on KTIS, represents in some ways the noise of life. Turning off the radio provides me quiet time, reflection time, really most important time with God, with Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. Prayer time.
I fill this time with thoughts of two journeys – one a subset of the other – the first journey is that of Jesus Christ and His three year ministry starting with His 40 days in the desert and temptation by Satan. The second journey starts in my reflection with Jesus sitting down with the apostles for the last supper – so many little things shine the light of God’s beauty (and complexity) when considered.
During His ministry and during the last day before He was crucified, we see many of these moments of light, all bringing a taste of God’s love to us – which we should embrace. Have you experienced those moments at this time of year? As you reflect on how much God loves us, is there anything that stands out for you personally? The verses above key into some of the qualities of God’s love that the apostles experienced during the long journey and during that last day before Christ was crucified…
- Father of compassion
- God of all comfort
- With us in all our troubles
- Our salvation is provided through Jesus Christ
- Our mighty rock
- Our refuge
All of this was present through Jesus Christ during His time on earth and especially when he spent that last day with the apostles – compassion and comfort, washing of their feet, with them as they struggled to understand what Jesus was sharing with them about His need to be obedient to the Father and lay down His life for them – they were troubled - His promise to them of a Helper, Advocate, the Holy Spirit – providing them a foundation, a rock, a refuge.
So today, for each of us, through Jesus Christ, and the presence in us of the Holy Spirit, we have the same assurances from God and the same love from God. And because of this, we have been prepared to share God’s love in the work we do – to pour out the same love we receive from God to others. As shared in 2 Corinthians 1:4b “…, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”
We learn to comfort others in their troubles as God comforts us in our trouble. We learn to love as God loves us so we can share that love with others.
What journey has Jesus Christ walked with you on and what is He teaching you so that you might be a light to others?
Lord Jesus, my prayer for each of us going into this weekend is that each of us can find time to reflect on all the beauty that God provides during this special time of year. Because despite the painfulness of this part of the Good News, God through You, Jesus Christ and the Holy spirit, shares in His love in amazing ways and we can see those ways if we just pause, take time to reflect. Amen!
If you are reading this, go, pick up a Bible and read some of the journey of Jesus Christ – God’s love will shine.
Have a weekend filled with the Peace that comes from knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
Patrick
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