Thursday Devotional - Jesus is Truth – Throughout Maundy Thursday (3/28/24)

Have you ever been overwhelmed by an overload of information in a short amount of time? I’ve felt that way at several different conferences and marriage retreats. I frantically took down a plethora of notes and wanted to put into practice all of it! It’s so difficult to remember and apply everything at once, but God has helped me layer in new practices. In fact, Joe and I enjoyed a night away by ourselves this week and had a chance to talk through some short and long-term goals. It was encouraging and refreshing!

As we celebrate this Holy Thursday, it was a day filled with significant teachings from Jesus. The disciples wouldn’t understand or remember all of it in the short term, either. However, the Holy Spirit would help them understand, remember and apply it all, bit by bit.

Did you know John spent over ¼ of his Gospel (in John chapters 13-18) detailing all Jesus taught his disciples that one night? Judas’s betrayal and Jesus’s glorification were two of over a dozen significant events and teachings that happened on “Holy” Thursday.

John 13:21-32 ²¹ After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, “Very truly I tell you, one of you is going to betray me.”

²² His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant. ²³ One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him. ²⁴ Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, “Ask him which one he means.”

²⁵ Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?”

²⁶ Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. ²⁷ As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him.

So Jesus told him, “What you are about to do, do quickly.” ²⁸ But no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him. ²⁹ Since Judas had charge of the money, some thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the festival, or to give something to the poor. ³⁰ As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night.

³¹ When he was gone, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him. ³² If God is glorified in him God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once.

The disciples didn’t immediately understand who would betray Jesus or that His death and resurrection were how He would be glorified. Just like the disciples, God knows we won’t understand and apply everything at once. He is available to help us understand, layer by layer!

What’s one thing you and I can meditate on and layer in to our reverence for Jesus as we celebrate Holy Thursday, Good Friday or Resurrection Sunday this week? I would like to try washing each other’s feet with the kids tonight. I think they are old enough to understand some of it’s significance. What about you?

Thursday Devotional - Jesus is Truth – With Selfless Surrender (3/14/24)

As a child, if you knew you did something wrong, but your parents hadn’t found out yet, did you voluntarily tell on yourself? Or did you try to pass it off like it was your sibling’s or someone else’s fault? Or did you hide in your room hoping they wouldn’t notice? J I’m guessing most of us didn’t voluntarily tell on ourselves. Well, Jesus did! He didn’t do anything wrong in God’s eyes, but the jealous chief priests and Pharisees sent soldiers to arrest Him on the charge of blasphemy against God. Jesus had escaped their arrest numerous times before, but He knew it was now God’s time for Him to be arrested. 

John 18:3-9        ³So Judas came to the grove, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons. ⁴Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, "Who is it you want?" ⁵"Jesus of Nazareth," they replied. "I am he," Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) ⁶When Jesus said, "I am he," they drew back and fell to the ground. ⁷Again he asked them, "Who is it you want?" And they said, "Jesus of Nazareth." ⁸"I told you that I am he," Jesus answered. "If you are looking for me, then let these men go." ⁹This happened so that the words he had spoken would be fulfilled: "I have not lost one of those you gave me."

As a parent, boss, spouse, friend, or co-worker, you might be shocked if someone boldly admitted their mistake without you even asking who did it! However, would you fall to the ground? The fact that the soldiers fell to the ground, after Jesus admitted He was who they wanted, leads me to believe the soldiers were more than shocked by his words! I wonder if Jesus was radiating the glory of God!!! Jesus, a few hours before,  had just prayed: "Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. ²For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. ³Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” (John 17:1b-3) 

Maybe God was allowing the disciples, soldiers, and officials to see but a piece of His glory even before Jesus’ death, resurrection, and full glorification. Those who hadn’t yet believed were given another sign and an opportunity to believe! 

Plus, Jesus’s selfless surrender showed His love and submission to His Father, His great love for us, and His immediate concern for His disciple’s safety. 

When was the last time you and I made an excuse or blamed someone else to get out of trouble? How will you and I selflessly live like Jesus, looking out for the best interests of those around us instead of only thinking about ourselves? That will bring glory to God!

Thursday Devotional - Jesus is Truth – Revealing His Betrayer (2/8/24)

Kids tattle on each other! My kids are no different. My sister’s kids, that are slightly older than my oldest, have tried to tell my kids that it is often best to work things out with your siblings rather than tattling frequently on little things. In fact, sometimes both kids get in trouble in a tattle situation, and that’s just what happened the other day!!!

Betrayal is far worse than tattling. Jesus had just washed Judas’s feet when He announced one of his disciples would betray him. He lovingly didn’t reveal the person’s identity. I think He also gave Judas one more opportunity to respond to truth, yet Jesus knew Judas wouldn’t.

John 13:16-21         ¹⁶ Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. ¹⁷ Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.¹⁸ “I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfill this passage of Scripture: ‘He who shared my bread has turned against me.’

¹⁹ “I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am who I am. ²⁰ Very truly I tell you, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me.”

²¹ After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, “Very truly I tell you, one of you is going to betray me.”

There are so many truths and lessons in this! Jesus lovingly revealed truth without shaming anyone (further evidenced by the rest of John 13). Jesus also prepared the other 11 disciples so that they would see yet again how trustworthy He is, recognize one more prophecy fulfilled, and know it was all used by God to accomplish His purpose.

Wow, I pray for that kind of love – to especially be able to reveal truth to my kids and discipline them without shaming them. I also pray I can prepare them well, so they know they can trust Jesus even when troubles come.

Where will you pray for help to put this kind of love into practice in your own life?

Thursday Devotional - Faithful God in Judgment (4/20/23)

What do you think happened to Gehazi after he deceived Naaman and stole from him? Did Elisha ever find out? How about Naaman?

II Kings 5:24-27  When Gehazi came to the hill, he took the things from the servants and put them away in the house. He sent the men away and they left.

²⁵ When he went in and stood before his master, Elisha asked him, “Where have you been, Gehazi?”

“Your servant didn’t go anywhere,” Gehazi answered.

²⁶ But Elisha said to him, “Was not my spirit with you when the man got down from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time to take money or to accept clothes—or olive groves and vineyards, or flocks and herds, or male and female slaves? ²⁷ Naaman’s leprosy will cling to you and to your descendants forever.” Then Gehazi went from Elisha’s presence and his skin was leprous—it had become as white as snow.

Gehazi got caught quickly and received swift judgment! I often wish God would do that with other people who commit horrific crimes and wickedness. God is the Judge of all. His timing is perfect and His judgment is purposeful. He is also loving, compassionate and long-suffering. He gives people opportunities to change. I often don’t understand His timing of things in my finite brain. Yet, I can trust He is in control!

Gehazi witnessed so many astounding miracles and yet chose not to trust God and His ways and His time (like Judas with Jesus). He had numerous opportunities to join in God’s work but missed out on being part of the blessing and being blessed himself!

As we cringe at all the evil in the world, will you and I trust God’s timing and plan for His judgment of sin? We can be thankful He is patient with us when we sin. He has actually judged all sin on the cross, if we choose to accept Jesus taking our place for sin! For those who don’t accept Jesus’ sacrifice, there is eternal judgment coming. Are you and I going to be like Gehazi – try things our way and reject God’s ways and timing? Or, are you and I going to be like all the other servants in Naaman’s story that believed God, trusted His ways and did their part to point others to Him?

Thursday Devotional - Calm versus Nervous

As we look forward to celebrating Easter this Sunday, we can take some time to remember all Jesus endured leading up to His death and resurrection.
Tonight would have been the night Jesus was betrayed and arrested.
Matthew 26:47-56     
 While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people. ⁴⁸ Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him.” ⁴⁹ Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him. 
⁵⁰ Jesus replied, “Do what you came for, friend.”
Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him. ⁵¹ With that, one of Jesus’ companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.
⁵² “Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. ⁵³ Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? ⁵⁴ But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?”
⁵⁵ In that hour Jesus said to the crowd, “Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I sat in the temple courts teaching, and you did not arrest me. ⁵⁶ But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.
What do you notice about Jesus during this whole interaction?
What do you notice about everyone else?
I see a very calm and confident Jesus who is sure of God's Sovereign power and plan.
I see very nervous priests and disciples who are trying to control situations with their own wisdom and strength.
Who are you and I like?
Are we more like calm and confident Jesus, who trusts completely in God?
Or are we more like the others who are trying to control situations in our own wisdom and strength?
Join me in thanking Jesus for calmly enduring all of this for your sake and mine!


Alice