Tag: Lent devotions

Posted in 2022 Lent Devotions

The game

Posted on by William Douthwaite

“Mirror of the Passion” Lent devotion for March 29, 2022. Photo by Robert Coelho on Unsplash

And they cast lots to divide his garments. (Luke 23:34)

Are you feeling lucky?

A lot of people do. The longest lines at the convenience and grocery stores are for lottery tickets. Scratch offs show up as gifts in Christmas stockings, Easter baskets, and Halloween trick-or-treat bags. Americans spend about $80 billion every year on lotteries.

One lucky person on the day of Jesus’ crucifixion would win his clothes. After stripping Jesus and nailing him to the cross, there wasn’t much left for the soldiers to do other than wait. To pass the time they played a game kind of like rolling dice. “They cast lots to divide his garments” (Luke 23:34). Hundreds of years before, the psalmist had written about this moment. “They divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots” (Psalm 22:18).

We make everything a game. We yell, “Shotgun!” when it’s time to get in the car. Kids taunt each other, “I beat you!” You subtly rev your engine waiting for the light to change. The neighbor makes sure you notice the new boat in his driveway. Or you casually mention now much that new grill cost you.

When life is a game, the only thing that matters is winning. Everything is a competition. You have to finish first. You have to be the best even if that means putting someone down. You might have to cheat, or at least bend the rules. You have to come out on top.

Somewhere along the line you discover (or you will discover) that life is not just a game. In our quest to be king of the hill, someone always gets hurt. We get pushed aside, tripped, and stepped on. It’s no fun anymore. Sure, someone wins. But many more lose.

Jesus never plays the game. He’s not out to win. He came to lose. He came to give up his life. The crucified Christ was crushed by a stampede of greedy and selfish people like us who just have to win.

Jesus doesn’t play the game. He stops and helps other people get up. He encourages them to keep going, even walking alongside of them. Yet he comes out on top. His name is above all others, the first one you see on the printout of finishers. How about that? He was right. “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all” (Mark 9:35).

Lord, I am so tired of playing the game. Thanks for showing me a different way to come out on top. Amen.

Posted in 2022 Lent Devotions

Cover me

Posted on by William Douthwaite

“Mirror of the Passion” Lent devotion for March 28, 2022. Photo by Stefan Spassov on Unsplash

Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ (Luke 23:30)

This is Jesus talking to all those who were mourning and lamenting for him as he walked the Via Dolorosa to Golgotha and his crucifixion. “Just wait,” he warns them. The day will soon come when they will flee Jerusalem, run for their lives, and look for safety in the hills. God’s judgment on Jerusalem was imminent and unavoidable. Yes, the rejection and execution of Jesus is bad. But you haven’t seen anything yet!

When wildfires have threatened our community or hurricanes have approached, many “head for the hills,” that is, they evacuate and seek refuge. In the wake of storms, houses along the shore are rebuilt on stilts, their own private “higher ground,” where they will be safe. The psalmist seeks similar security: “I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?”

He answers his own question, “My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth” (Psalm 121:1,2). That makes sense. Isaiah talked about this. “It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be lifted up above the hills” (Isaiah 2:2). Get it? The Lord himself is that hill where you will find security when everything is unraveling. “Under his wings you will find refuge” (Psalm 91:4).

Don’t feel sorry for Jesus. Instead, come to him for rest for your soul. Flee to him for mercy. In his suffering and death you will find the love you’re looking for. At the cross you find the perfect love that casts out fear. You’ll find all that in him, and nowhere else.

Everyone has those days when we just want to pull the covers over our heads and stay in bed, reluctant to face the world out there. The tragedies are too real, the temptations are too strong, and our resolve too quickly dissolves. Then we remember. We remember the promise that love, his love, covers a multitude of sins. We can take his covering – atonement – with us as we step into our day.

How wonderful to hear our Lord say to us, “I’ve got you covered!”

Cover me, Lord.

Posted in 2022 Lent Devotions

Tears

Posted on by William Douthwaite

“Mirror of the Passion” Lent devotion for March 27, 2022. Photo by Kat J on Unsplash.

There followed [Jesus] a great multitude of the people and of women who were mourning and lamenting for him. (Luke 23:27)

When do you find yourself in a crowd of people mourning and lamenting? Funerals, for sure. Cemeteries, too. Powerful movie moments can bring an audience to tears. You might be sitting in church when tears begin to well up. Or with a loved one struggling to breathe in hospice.

You can feel that way at a celebration. The absence of a loved one at a birthday party punches a hole of sadness into the joy of the occasion. They were there in the past. But now they’ve died. Or they refused to come.

When Jesus takes the Via Dolorosa (way of suffering), it is the beginning of Passover, a remembrance and celebration of how God saved his people from slavery in Egypt. That celebration now has a hole of sadness in it as everyone realizes the price of salvation. Now they realized that the blood of innocent lambs that stained the doorframes of ancient Israelite homes was a foreshadowing of the blood-stained of Jesus’ cross.

We work very hard to get past grief. We mourn the loss of family and friends, jobs and careers, health and ability. We just want to get it over with. We just want to get on with life. Easier said than done. Just when you think you’ve got it licked, you’ll find a little reminder, hear a song, or walk into a place and it all comes rushing back.

Perhaps mourning and lamenting aren’t something to be over, but something you learn to live with. (Please don’t confuse me with a psychologist. I’m just writing a devotion.) Just like the crowd we learn to live with the mourning and lamenting that comes with the Christ. No matter why we follow Jesus, we always end up at the cross. Whether you come to him for healing, rest, peace, or truth, you will end up at the cross. It is a sobering reminder of your sin for which he died. It is also a powerful reminder of the depth of his love for you. Don’t get over it. It will teach you how to live.

Lord, I’ll never get over how much you love me. Amen.

Posted in 2022 Lent Devotions

We’ll take Barabbas

Posted on by William Douthwaite

“Mirror of the Passion” Lent devotion for March 24, 2022.

But they all cried out together, “Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas”— a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection started in the city and for murder. (Luke 23:18-19)

OK, this is crazy. Why would they want Barabbas, a murderer, back on the street? When we capture a murderer, we want them put away for life – or worse. When they are released on a legal technicality we are incensed. How could that be justice? How could that be right?

Can you think of any reason why you might choose Barabbas over Jesus? I can think of several. First, you want insurrection. You want a rebellion. You’ve been waiting for someone to stand up to the Romans. Jesus isn’t going to do that. But Barabbas will. He already has.

And maybe Barabbas didn’t do it. Someone lied and he ended up in jail. That’s not justice. He should go free.

It’s possible you personally know Barabbas. As far as you know, he’s not such a bad guy. OK, so maybe he was in the wrong place at the wrong time, made a few mistakes. Who hasn’t? He was a friend. He took care of his mom. He was there for you in the past. Now he needs your help, so you’re there for him.

And this Jesus? You’ve never seen him before in your life. You don’t know anything about him. But you can tell he’s not popular. So you go along with the crowd. “Take him away!”

It’s ironic that according to Luke, the only member of the pro-Jesus party in attendance is Pilate. Three times, Pilate said Jesus wasn’t guilty of any of their charges. Pilate is ready to let him go. Every other voice calls for Barabbas’ release. It’s a landslide.

The Philadelphia Flyers won the Stanley Cup in 1974 and 1975. Their unofficial nickname was the “Broad Street Bullies.” They were the bad guys we (I grew up there) all rooted for. The roster included players who deliberately committed penalties and started fights to intimidate their opponents. For a few seasons, it worked and they won.

In this moment, Barabbas wins. He gets to go free while Jesus is handed over to be crucified. But it’s just the first period. There’s a lot of time left in the game.

I can’t wait for overtime, Lord. Amen.

Posted in 2022 Lent Devotions

Miracles

Posted on by William Douthwaite

“Mirror of the Passion” Lent devotion for March 23, 2022. Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash

When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had long desired to see him, because he had heard about him, and he was hoping to see some sign done by him. (Luke 23:8)

So where have you been for the last three and a half years, Herod? You’re the ruler of Galilee and you never got a chance to see Jesus? Entire towns showed up to see Jesus. Crowds followed him from place to place. You could have caught his show at any number of places.

And let’s face it. That’s all it really was for Herod. A show. Herod wasn’t a believer. He was curious, but he was just part of that “wicked and adulterous generation” who always wanted a miraculous sign.

Do we ever come to see the “Jesus show?” Do we ever come to church simply to be entertained by musical talent or an inspirational speaker? Sure we do. And that’s just fine with the church, who will strive to provide entertainment and inspiration so that you’ll come to the “Jesus show.”

I know that’s harsh. But in our culture, we do expect to be entertained. We expect to be entertained all the time. And while there’s nothing wrong with entertainment, that’s not why Jesus came. He didn’t come to do card tricks or make balloon animals or make an elephant disappear. He came to save us from sin and death. He performed miracles to verify that he was the Savior. He performed miracles to help those who were suffering from so many different ailments. He performed miracles because of his great power and his great love. But he never played to the crowd.

There are plenty of folks who would like to see a miracle. I’m one of them. A wise friend commented, “There are miracles all around us, if you just take time to look for them.” How true. We can talk to just about anyone anywhere in the world at anytime during the day. That’s miraculous. A baby is born, breathes, cries, looks up at you, and smiles. What a miracle! The human eye can distinguish over 10 million different colors. Whoa. A really, really good cup of coffee smells and tastes so good. Same goes for bacon and freshly baked bread. Oh, yeah. You wake up fifteen seconds before your morning alarm goes off. How does that happen?

There are a lot of people who would like to see Jesus, too. I’m one of them. But not just for a miracle. Forever and forever.

Thanks for all the miracles, Lord. Amen.

Posted in 2022 Lent Devotions

Nothing to worry about

Posted on by William Douthwaite

“Mirror of the Passion” Lent devotion for March 22, 2022. Photo by Altin Ferreira on Unsplash

Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” (Luke 23:3)

I always enjoy it when someone comes up to me at the store and starts talking to me like I worked there. Once in a while, in a shirt and tie, I suppose I might look like a manager or something. If I know where something is, I’ll point you in the right direction. If not, I’ll admit, “I’m just shopping. I don’t work here.”

Jesus must have been a sight. He was dressed just like any other disciple. His hands were bound from his arrest. He was soaked in sweat from his agonizing hour of prayer in the garden. They beat him, so he might have a few cuts and bruises, maybe even a swollen eye. You and I would want to know, “What happened to you?”

The elders, chief priests and scribes said, “He’s telling everyone not to give tribute to Caesar. He called himself Christ, the king.” I can picture Pilate looking Jesus over, raising an eyebrow and asking, “So you’re the king of the Jews, huh?” If he was, he wasn’t much of a threat to anyone. Look at him. And he’s not much of a leader. His own people roughed him up and turned him in. Where were his followers? Where was his army? Is this some kind of joke? If this is the extent of the revolt, we’ve got nothing to worry about.

Pharaoh looked at Moses and thought, “I’ve got nothing to worry about.” Goliath looked at David and thought, “I’ve got nothing to worry about.” A bald, blind Samson? Nothing to worry about. They were soon proved wrong.

However, you and I can look to Jesus and say the same thing. “I’ve nothing to worry about.” In a storm? He commands the wind and waves. Terminal illness? He wakes up the dead. Food and clothing? Just look at the birds and the flowers. Don’t know what to say? He’ll cue you. Run out of wine? He’s got the good stuff. Feeling overwhelmed? He says, “Here, take my yoke.”

It’s ironic that Jesus can bring out the same response from those of faith and those who doubt. He’s not a threat. But he is the Savior. He looks like us. But his words are filled with power.

Feeling good about yourself? You think you’ve got nothing to worry about. When all you can do is whisper, “Lord, have mercy,” he lets you know you have nothing to worry about.

So which is it? Is Jesus so insignificant that you have nothing to worry about? Or is he so significant that you have nothing to worry about?

Thanks for being a big deal, Lord. Amen.

Posted in 2022 Lent Devotions

They took Jesus to Pilate

Posted on by William Douthwaite

“Mirror of the Passion” Lent devotion for March 21, 2022. Photo by Alina Rubo on Unsplash

Then the whole company of them arose and brought him before Pilate. (Luke 23:1)

“The whole company” would include high priest, chief priests, scribes, and the elders of the people. They’ve heard Jesus incriminate himself, that is, he didn’t deny being the Christ and the Son of God. Such claims are capital offenses in their eyes. So they drag Jesus to Pilate the Roman governor.

Suddenly, Jesus’ fate is in the hands of the secular world. That might not be a bad thing, now that we’ve seen how ruthless the religious leaders can be. Maybe Jesus will finally get some justice!

We know that’s not going to happen. We know how this turns out. The religious elite will find a way to use Roman authority to get what they want: the death of Jesus.

I’ve heard some stories about congregational meetings that took place before I was pastor of my current church. At one of those meetings, those on each side of an issue became to argumentative that someone called the sheriff’s department to break things up. I know, I also thought, “Really?” I don’t know what they were fighting about, but someone got their way. And the local authorities helped.

At one point, when we were going to put a new church sign out front, an option was a lit sign on which we could put messages. Someone who didn’t want that kind of sign poured over the zoning laws until they found a provision that said we couldn’t have one. We put up a different kind of sign. Meanwhile the church next door got a variance and put up a lit sign. Once again the local authorities were a great help.

Isn’t it interesting how we’re willing to overlook the separation of church and state when we can use the state to our advantage? By the same token, those running for office will seek the endorsement of religious organizations. Yep, there’s nothing new under the sun.

I’ll admit, it’s tempting to call code enforcement rather than walking across the street to talk to my neighbor about his lawn. It’s tempting to inflate my church contributions to reduce my income taxes. Wearing a clerical collar could get me out of a speeding ticket, right? If we let the city use our facility as a polling place, we might just get that building permit we need. I’ve volunteered for Good News Club (after school bible instruction) in our local elementary school. The Supreme Court of the United States said we could do that.

That’s all they were doing. Just getting it done.

Lord, have mercy on me, the government, and the church. We need it. Amen.

Posted in 2022 Lent Devotions

I don’t get no respect

Posted on by William Douthwaite

“Mirror of the Passion” Lent devotion for March 19, 2022. Photo by Tumisu on Pixabay.

Now the men who were holding Jesus in custody were mocking him as they beat him. They also blindfolded him and kept asking him, “Prophesy! Who is it that struck you?” (Luke 22:63-64)

We learn how to mock others at a very young age. We taunt the kids in preschool, “You can’t catch me!” We imitate others with a whiny voice. We slap labels on each other like “stupid,” “ugly,” “fat,” and “dummy.” We master all this before we even get to elementary school.

We spend a lot of time teaching our children to be respectful. We teach them to encourage others, speak well of them, and explain everything in the kindest way. We help them learn treat others as they would like to be treated.

And then we turn around and mock those who can’t get around very well, who stutter when they talk, who have certain political leanings, can’t control their children, creep along in the center lane of the highway, seem to wander aimlessly through the grocery store, etc., etc., etc.

So it should be no surprise that Jesus would be mocked. This is a king? This is your master? This is your Savior? You’ve got to be kidding. That’s the best you’ve got? An ordinary carpenter from Nazareth in Galilee with some kind of Messiah complex?

Well, just look in the mirror. We mock other faiths. You worship that fat statue of the Buddha? You really believe you could be reincarnated as a cow or a bug or something? You’re basing your faith on one man’s vision of some golden plates? You really believe we’re descended from ancient aliens?

It seems like everyone else’s faith is laughable. So is ours, I guess. Wait, you say Jesus came back from the dead? That same guy who walked on water? And turned water into wine? Don’t you think that’s kind of out there? I completely understand why someone might make fun of the things I believe.

Oh, and they beat Jesus while they were mocking him. Like the bully who pushes you down on the playground and then laughs when you skin your knees. Or trips you in the lunchroom, sending your food flying while everyone laughs.

That’s what our world is like. That’s the world that Jesus stepped into.

It is humbling to realize that we are among the ones who make it that kind of a world. We do plenty of mocking. We’re in on it. We’re in on the shame and humiliation Jesus endured. That’s me in the mirror.

It’s a cruel world, Lord. And I help make it that way. Lord, have mercy.

Posted in 2022 Lent Devotions

One of them

Posted on by William Douthwaite

“Mirror of the Passion” Lent devotion for March 18, 2022. Photo by Jehyun Sung on Unsplash

Peter sat down among them. Then a servant girl, seeing him as he sat in the light and looking closely at him, said, “This man also was with him.” But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know him.” And a little later someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not.” And after an interval of about an hour still another insisted, saying, “Certainly this man also was with him, for he too is a Galilean.” But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.  (Luke 22:55-62)

He did it. He did it just the way Jesus said he would. He denied knowing Jesus three times before the rooster crowed before the dawn.

Peter didn’t have a gun to his head or a sword at his throat. He wasn’t being interrogated under intense light. He wasn’t threatened in any way. Two simply made the comment, “You were with him.” Another said, “You are one of them.” These people had no authority. The mob already had the one they wanted. But Peter is quick to respond, “I don’t know him, I wasn’t with him, and I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

Peter was confident. He had a sword and wasn’t afraid to use it in the garden when the mob came for Jesus (John 18:10). But he wasn’t prepared for this. He wasn’t prepared to be one of them. Those who came with Jesus from Galilee. Those who ran alongside Jesus when he rode into Jerusalem like a king. Those who called him Christ.

Later, Peter would encourage believers to not only honor Jesus as Christ the Lord but also be “prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15).

We’ve been conditioned to think that we are going to encounter resistance at every turn. That’s not always true. Just because someone asks, “You’re a Christian, right?” doesn’t mean they’re your enemy. They might be interested in hearing what you believe. Or they might want someone to pray with them. Or they might be looking for a friend themselves.

What if Peter had simply been silent? What if after the servant girl said, “This man was also with him,” someone else said, “Really? What was he like? Did he really heal people?” He could have shared some amazing memories from the past three years. It would have been about Jesus, not about him.

Perhaps that’s the secret. It’s not about us. It’s always about him.

Lord, I guess I’m one of “them.” What story do you think I should tell?