Thursday Devotional – Jesus is Worthy to Promise a New Jerusalem this Maundy Thursday (4/2/26)

Last week we celebrated Jesus’ humble entrance into Jerusalem on a donkey colt. Today, on Maundy Thursday of Holy Week, we remember how Jesus humbly washed the disciples’ feet, demonstrating again that His first coming was about selfless sacrifice and not about making everything new. As He continued to teach His disciples on that Thursday night, He shared with them a promise of a new place He would prepare for them.

John 14:1-3   “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. ² My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

At that moment, He personally assured His disciples of a place He would prepare for them. What He didn’t tell them, was that their names would be etched on the twelve foundations of the New Jerusalem! This revelation would come later, through John in Revelation 21.

Revelation 21:9-14 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” ¹⁰ And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. ¹¹ It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. ¹² It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. ¹³ There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west. ¹⁴ The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

The new Jerusalem will be far more glorious than the disciples or you and me could ever imagine! As we reflect on Holy Thursday and Good Friday, let’s genuinely express our gratitude to Jesus for all He sacrificed which enables us to be His cleansed bride, dwelling with Him for all eternity within the magnificent new Jerusalem! 

Alice

Thursday Devotional - God is With Us as We Remember Jesus on Maundy/Holy Thursday 4/14/22

What happened the day before Jesus was crucified?

The first thing that comes to mind is Jesus celebrating the Passover and instituting the Lord’s Supper/Communion. This is usually the main focus at Maundy/Holy Thursday services.

As I was reading Matthew 26, it struck me how many different conversations and significant events happened on this day before Jesus’ death.

Jesus’ Passover meal/Last Supper with His disciples

Jesus predicted his betrayal

Jesus instituted Communion/Lord’s Supper

Jesus predicted the disciples’ abandonment of Him

Jesus predicted Peter’s denial 

Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane

Judas betrayed Jesus

Peter cut off the ear of the high priest’s servant

Jesus was arrested

Jesus was questioned by the Sanhedrin

Peter denied Jesus

All the disciples abandoned Jesus, but He never abandoned them.

Matthew 26:31-35 Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written:

“‘I will strike the shepherd,
    and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’

³² But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”

³³ Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.”

³⁴ “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.”

³⁵ But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same.

Not only did Jesus not abandon His disciples, but He told them where He would meet them after His resurrection! What a gracious, faithful and loving Savior!

Let’s ask God to help us be grateful for all the ways Jesus used his last day to give his disciples and us valuable lessons, truths and instructions. Which one will you focus on today? 

Alice

Thursday Devotional - Loving Believers

We all know we are to love one another. It’s often easier said than done. Sometimes it’s even extremely difficult to love fellow believers in our churches. However, I think those are the very people God especially wants us to love and help.  

When Jesus gave His new command to the disciples in John 13, I think He was specifically referring to them loving each other as disciples. They were quite a unique bunch of misfits!

John 13:33-35     ³³ “My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.

³⁴ “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. ³⁵ By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

If we have love for one another as believers, that can be attractive to outsiders. Sadly, outsiders often see the quarrels and divisions within the church and don’t want any part of it!

Let’s not be a part of that trend, but let’s allow the Holy Spirit to help us reverse it! What fellow believer will you and I especially love this week? Maybe it’s by giving a helping hand, a note of encouragement, or genuine prayers for their spiritual growth.  

Let’s love each other well!

Alice

Thursday Devotional - Times of Waiting

What are we to do while we wait on God’s answers and/or His timing?

As we saw last week, Jesus (just before His ascension) told the disciples to wait in Jerusalem until they had received the Holy Spirit. However, he didn’t tell them where to wait, what to do in the meantime or how long the wait would be.  

Acts 1:12-14  ¹² Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city. ¹³ When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. ¹⁴ They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

In obedience to Jesus, the disciples waited in Jerusalem. They did the best thing they could do while waiting – they prayed! Maybe they prayed for patience, guidance and next steps. God did give them patience to wait and not run ahead! It appears He also guided their immediate next step - to get organized (as they prayerfully replaced Judas (Acts 1:15-26)).

God provides guidance while waiting.

As Joe and I prayed and waited for God’s answers about children, He helped us continue what He had already called us to do - responsibilities at church and in our community, BSF leadership, etc.

Where else do you and I need to trust God’s intentions and purposes, while waiting on His answers and timing? What instruction do you and I need to follow, even though we don’t know or understand what’s next?

Let’s be prayerful as we wait and listen carefully for His guidance on the next small step.  

Alice