Posts from March 2018 (Page 2)
Water And Blood
Water And Blood Daily Devotion for Lent | Monday, March 19, 2018 Read: Matthew 27:24-26. So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd … (Matthew 27:24a) It was so dramatic—and such a waste of time. Pilate’s little act with the handwashing did no good at all. “Innocent of this man’s blood”? Hardly. Everyone knew he was too scared to act justly and…
Crown Of Thorns
Crown Of Thorns Daily Devotion for Lent | Sunday, March 18, 2018 Read John 19:1-5. So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Behold the man!” (John 19:5) Where I grew up there is a little desert plant called “crown of thorns.” It has long spidery branches so covered in thorns you can’t even touch the bark. Bright green leaves grow toward the ends of the branches, and small red flowers—round…
No Regrets
No Regrets Daily Devotion for Lent | Saturday, March 17, 2018 Read John 19:1-5. Then Pilate took Jesus and flogged Him. (John 19:1) “Then Pilate took Jesus and flogged him.” Such a short sentence for such a terrifying punishment. A Roman flogging was no joke. The victim was stripped and tied facing a pillar to prevent him running or collapsing to the ground. Two skilled men held whips resembling a cat-o’-nine-tails. The limit on the number of strokes? Among Romans,…
Dress-Up
Dress-Up Daily Devotion for Lent | Friday, March 16, 2018 Read Mark 15:16-20. And they clothed Him in a purple cloak, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on Him. And they began to salute Him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” (Mark 15:17-18) When you were little, did you ever play dress-up with your parents’ clothes? Perhaps you tried on mom’s shoes, or dad’s tie. Perhaps it was an older brother’s graduation cap or a sister’s wedding…
Rope
Rope Daily Devotion for Lent | Thursday, March 15, 2018 Read Mark 15:1-5. And as soon as it was morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council. And they bound Jesus and led Him away and delivered Him over to Pilate. (Mark 15:1) Do you have a coil of rope in your house? What about your car? Rope is a handy thing to have when you’re tying down a Christmas tree…
Burned
Burned Daily Devotion for Lent | Wednesday, March 14, 2018 Read Mark 14:53-55. And he was sitting with the guards and warming himself at the fire. (Mark 14:54b) Choosing a place to sit shouldn’t be a big deal, should it? Jesus was on trial for His life in the high priest’s house, and Peter wanted a place to see what would happen to Him. But he didn’t dare get too close—someone might recognize him as a disciple and arrest him,…
An Open Door
An Open Door Daily Devotion for Lent | Tuesday, March 13, 2018 Read John 18:15-18. But Peter stood outside at the door. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the servant girl who kept watch at the door, and brought Peter in. (John 18:16) The door of the high priest’s house was busy that night. Once Jesus was arrested, the household swung into action. Messengers went out to gather the Jewish…
Thirty Pieces Of Silver
Thirty Pieces Of Silver Daily Devotion for Lent | Monday, March 12, 2018 Read Matthew 27:3-10. Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What will you give me if I deliver Him over to you?” And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. (Matthew 26:14-15) The price of a slave. The price of a cemetery. The price of God. When Judas saw that Jesus was condemned, he brought his traitor’s…
Unnecessary
Unnecessary Daily Devotion for Lent | Sunday, March 11, 2018 Read Mark 14:43-50. And Jesus said to them, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture Me?” (Mark 14:48) They must have been the most unnecessary objects in the garden that night—all those swords and clubs the crowd brought with them to arrest Jesus. As if He were going to resist arrest. As if He were an earthly king, someone climbing to the top…
A Piece Of Bread
A Piece Of Bread Daily Devotion for Lent | Saturday, March 10, 2018 Read John 13:21-30. So when He had dipped the morsel, He gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” (John 13:26b-27) It was one of those little courtesies—if you wanted to honor someone, you would dip a piece of bread into the sauce…
Jesus With A Basin
Jesus With A Basin Daily Devotion for Lent | Friday, March 9, 2018 Read John 13:1-17. Then He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around Him. (John 13:5) How terribly uncomfortable that must have been. Imagine it: Jesus Christ, your Lord and Savior, kneeling at your feet with a basin, dealing with the stink and the sweat and the dirt of a long day…
Lamb Of God
Lamb Of God Daily Devotion for Lent | Thursday, March 8, 2018 Read Mark 14:12-16. And on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, His disciples said to Him, “Where will You have us go and prepare for You to eat the Passover?” (Mark 14:12) Perfect. Helpless. Doomed. From 2,000 years later, those are the only words I can think of to describe the centerpiece of the Passover feast, the lambs sacrificed at the temple.…