THIS IS A SACRED WEEK FOR FOLLOWERS OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. IT ALL BEGAN ON PALM SUNDAY AS BELIEVERS ACKNOWLEDGED, BY WAVING PALM BRANCHES, THE BLESSINGS THEY HAD RECEIVED FROM BEING IN THE PRESENCE OF JESUS.
I AM WRITING THESE WORDS ON MONDAY OF HOLY WEEK ENCOURAGING THE READER TO WALK WITH JESUS, FOCUSING ON WHO HE WAS, HOW HE LIVED, AND THE BLESSINGS HE BRINGS EACH DAY.
MONDAY: JESUS THE SAVIOR
MAKE TIME TO BE STILL AND EXPERIENCE THE AWESOME PRESENCE OF THE LIVING CHRIST. FOCUS YOUR MIND ON “JESUS THE SAVIOR.” RECALL THE WORDS OF THE ANGEL TO THE SHEPHERDS ON THE NIGHT OF HIS BIRTH, “FOR UNTO YOU IS BORN THIS DAY IN THE CITY OF DAVID A SAVIOR WHO IS CHRIST THE LORD.” REPLACE THE WORD “YOU” WITH YOUR NAME. THROUGHOUT THE DAY, MAKE TIME TO GIVE THANKS TO GOD FOR “JESUS THE SAVIOR.” PRAY FOR THOSE WHO NEED THE TRANSFORMATION THE SAVIOR BRINGS.
TUESDAY: JESUS THE TEACHER
JESUS WAS A GREAT TEACHER. HE HAD THE MIND OF GOD AND SHARED TRUTHS THAT HAVE TRANSFORMED THE WAY WE THINK. READ THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT. MATTHEW 5-7 (IF YOU DO NOT READ THE ENTIRE SERMON. READ THE BEATITUDES - MATTHEW 5:10-12. REFLECT UPON THE TEACHINGS THAT INTRODUCE US TO A WAY OF LIFE THAT, IF FOLLOWED, WOULD TRANSFORM THE WORLD. THROUGHOUT THE DAY, REFLECT UPON THE TEACHINGS YOU HAVE RECEIVED FROM OUR LORD. PRAY THAT YOU WILL BE OPEN TO OBEYING HIS TEACHINGS.
WEDNESDAY: JESUS THE HEALER
JESUS WAS A POWERFUL HEALER. HE HEALED THE BROKEN HEARTED. HE GAVE SIGHT TO THE BLIND. HE ENABLED THE LAME TO WALK. IN THE MIDST OF OUR PAIN, JESUS IS WITH US. READ MARK 6:29-34. PRAY FOR THOSE WHO NEED HEALING. BE SPECIFIC ABOUT BROKEN PLACES IN YOUR LIFE THAT NEED THE HEALING TOUCH OF OUR LORD. PRAY FOR THOSE WHO NEED THE LORD’S HEALING TOUCH.
THURSDAY: THE LORD’S SUPPER
THIS IS MAUNDY THURSDAY. OBSERVE THE LORD’S SUPPER WITH THE BREAKING OF THE BREAD AND THE DRINKING OF THE CUP. AS THIS IS DONE IN REMEMBRANCE OF OUR LORD, THANK HIM FOR HIS MANY BLESSINGS.
FRIDAY: JESUS' CRUCIFIXION
GOOD FRIDAY IS A TIME TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT OUR LORD KNOWS THE REAL MEANING OF SUFFERING. HE IS WITH US IN THE DARKEST OF HOURS. ON THE CROSS WE SEE THE SIN OF MAN. WE ALSO SEE THE LANGUAGE OF GOD’S GRACE EXPRESSED IN GOD’S LOVE. REMEMBER, WE ARE NOT ALONE IN SUFFERING. READ THE CRUCIFIXION STORY AND SPEND TIME REFLECTING UPON WHAT IT MEANS IN TIME OF OUR SUFFERING. MARK 14:12-26
SATURDAY: A TIME OF SILENCE
HOLY WEEK SATURDAY IS KNOWN AS SILENT SATURDAY. THIS IS THE TIME JESUS WAS IN THE GRAVE. LET THIS BE A TIME TO FIND A QUIET PLACE AND EXPERIENCE THE BLESSING OF SILENCE. BE STILL AND ACKNOWLEDGE HIS PRESENCE AS PREPARATION IS MADE FOR A “GREAT GETTIN UP MORNING.”
SUNDAY: EASTER
HE IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN INDEED! JOIN WITH OTHER BELIEVERS IN PROCLAIMING THE GREATEST MESSAGE EVER TOLD: “HE IS NOT HERE. HE IS RISEN!” AMEN.