Devotions For Lent – Day 22

The Touch of a Hand

“By whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’ The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.”     (Romans 8:15-16)

Read John 20:24-29.

True or False:     Everyone born is God’s child?         False.
True or False:     Everyone born is God’s creation?     True.

The difference is Jesus.
Only those who know and believe in Jesus can call God their Father.

When my kids were young, we made an agreement. If I was talking with someone and they wanted my attention, they were not to interrupt me but they were to come by my side and touch my hand. They knew if they did that, I would try to pause the conversation as soon as I could and give them my undivided attention.

The Holy Spirit eagerly invites us to call out for God’s attention: “Abba! Father!” (Galatians 4:6), as children so naturally do with their parents. Sitting on the throne, Jesus gives us permission to approach our Father with anything by the simple touch of a hand — not just any hand, but a nail-pierced hand. As you think or write today, make note of what you appreciate most in being able to talk directly to God.

Prayer Starter:
Abba, Father, I am so glad to be Your child because . . .

Devotions For Lent – Day 21

The Man Behind the Curtain

“[Jesus] entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of His own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.”             (Hebrews 9:12)

Read Hebrews 7:15-28.

There’s a scene in The Wizard of Oz where Dorothy and her friends are standing before the mysterious and great wizard. Smoke, fire, and thunder fill the space. The Tinman shakes in fear! That is until little Toto the dog pulls away a curtain revealing that the frightful wizard is no more than a man with a machine. “Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain,” the great wizard calls out. Too late!

Thank God we have much more than a fake wizard behind the curtain! We have a great High Priest who, unlike other priests who offered the blood of sacrificed animals, offers His own blood, securing our eternal redemption. Incorruptible! Imperishable! There behind the curtain is our great High Priest, who lives to pray for you (Hebrews 7:25). Think or write about some of the things you would like Jesus to take before the Father on your behalf today.

Prayer Starter:
You, O Christ, are my great High Priest. Your presence at the throne gives me confidence, especially right now in . . .

Devotions For Lent

Third Sunday In Lent

Growing up, I used to be so afraid of dying. Then, one Easter, I heard my pastor read these words from 1 Corinthians 15:55-57:

“O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? The sting of death is sin and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

At that moment, the chains of fear fell away. Years later, when my father died, I held the urn of his ashes in my hands and I spoke to it and said, “You hold nothing over  my dad. You could not hold onto Jesus, and you cannot hold on to anyone in Jesus!”

Today, pray & give thanks to Jesus for triumphing over the grave.

Devotions For Lent – Day 19

Nothing But The Blood

“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace.”     (Ephesians 1:7)

Read Colossians 1:15-23.

As she stood in the back of the church, she recalled the times she would hear these words spoken from the pulpit: “the blood of Christ was shed for you.” Could it still be true? His blood shed for me? YES! In Jesus we have redemption. What was lost has been restored through His blood! In your thinking today, reflect on the words to this poem by Edward Caswall:

Glory be to Jesus, who in bitter pains
Poured for me the lifeblood from His sacred veins!

Grace and life eternal in that blood I find;
Blest be His compassion, infinitely kind!

Blest through endless ages be the precious stream
Which from endless torment did the world redeem!

Prayer Starter:
Jesus, I don’t deserve to stand before You. Only by Your blood do I dare to step forward and share what is on my heart . . .

Devotions For Lent – Day 18

Behold!

“Behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two.”     (Matthew 27:51)

Read Genesis 1.

Behold! In the King James Version of the Bible, translated in 1611, the word behold appears nearly 1300 times. But when was the last time you heard you heard behold used in casual conversation? The word is a weighty one. It invites us to “pay attention to this!”

We are familiar with the angel’s message to the shepherds, “Behold, I bring you good news of great joy” (Luke 2:10) and John’s message, “Behold, the Lamb of God” (John 1:29). Today’s verse calls out with the same sense of urgency. Stop. Be still. Gaze upon what is before us. This deserves your undivided attention. Behold invites us to pause, look, and see the work of God.

Take a few moments to walk outside today. Behold the work of God around you and reflect or write about it.

Prayer Starter:
Lord, stop my rushing spirit today and guide me to behold Your work in . . .

Devotions For Lent – Day 17

Paradise Re-opened

“Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God.”     (Revelation 21:3).

Read Matthew 13:13-17.

Embroidered on the tapestry of the veil was a panorama of the heavens. When the veil was torn, the message was clear: paradise re-opened! This was foreshadowed 3 years earlier at Jesus’ baptism. When He came up out of the Jordan River’s waters, the heavens were torn open and God spoke, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). Then at the cross, as Jesus took His last breath, the veil was torn open and the centurion declared, “Truly, this man was the Son of God!” (Mark 15:39).

These two events are connected by one message: the life and sacrifice of Jesus pleases His Father. Paradise is open again for those who call Jesus their Lord and their Brother. Reflect on a time that heaven seemed closed or that God seemed distant, and give Him thanks that paradise is open to you, now and always.

Prayer Starter:
Jesus, You are the Son of God! I declare it with joy! You alone are . . .

Devotions For Lent – Day 16

The Veil of His Flesh

“By the new and living way that He opened for us through the curtain,
that is, through His flesh.”         (Hebrews 10:20)

Read 1 Peter 1:18-21.

We have been focusing on the veil in the temple being torn in two. However, something far greater was torn. Today’s Bible verse makes it clear. Jesus’ flesh is also a veil. Who can imagine the horror and agony of crucifixion? It is not a pretty picture. Nonetheless, our hope and confidence rest in this promise: You have been redeemed “with the precious blood of Christ” (1 Peter 1:19).

As the woman we talked about earlier stood in church, she wondered, could what was torn apart in her life be healed by Jesus’ wounds? Today, write a prayer of thanks to Jesus, your Savior, for sacrificing His body for your life.

Prayer Starter:
Savior, You opened the way to the Father for me through Your flesh. The words of praise that come to my mind are . . .

Devotions For Lent – Day 15

A New and Living Way

“Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins.” (Hebrews 10:12)

Read John 14:1-7.

Try to imagine the sights and sounds of these words: “Every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices” (Hebrews 10:11). How many sacrifices a day? How much blood spilled on the ground? Walking into the temple was a walk past death. Then, when the veil was torn, all this changed to become a “new and living way” (Hebrews 10:20). A new way — no longer marked by blood and death. A living way — He, who died as our sacrifice, is alive!

The way through Jesus is the way of the abundant life! Life filled with joy, hope, and peace! In your reflections or writing today, make a note of a few people in your life who are lacking in hope or joy. Pray for them and ask God that they would know the new and living way though Jesus.

Prayer Starter:
Jesus, You bless me with an abundance of . . .

Devotions For Lent – Day 14

A Time to Tear and to Mend

“A time to tear. And a time to mend.”         (Ecclesiastes 3:7)

Read Psalm 85.

Tearing and mending are opposites, but as Jesus suffered and died, they formed one seamless act. The psalmist writes in Psalm 85:10, “Unfailing love and truth have met together. Righteousness and peace have kissed!” At the cross, the love of the Father met the truth of our disobedience. It was there that the righteousness of Jesus satisfied the wrath of the Father. Peace and righteousness came together as one.

As the veil in the temple was torn in two, God’s plan for our salvation was coming together. In the tearing, God’s relationship with His human creations was being mended. Think and reflect on where God is leading you to do some mending in your relationships, not only with Him, but with others.

Prayer Starter:
Jesus, Your flesh was torn so that I could be one with You and one with others. Help me to mend relationships in my life, especially . . .

Devotions For Lent – Day 13

Second Sunday in Lent

Who will roll the stone away? That was the question that the women asked each other as they walked to the tomb that first Easter morning. There are many stones that we cannot roll away on our own:
A stone of doubt.
A stone of fear.
A stone of hurt.
A stone of anger.
What are the stones that you’re unable to move?

When the women arrived, they discovered the tomb was empty but their hearts were full! On this day, give thanks in the angel’s message:

“He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead!” (Mark 16:6) NLT.

Pray a prayer of thanks today that in His rising, Jesus proved that He alone has the power to roll away the stone, whatever it may be, in your life!