Maundy Thursday + Good Friday Reflections

Now before the feast of the passover,

when Jesus knew that His hour was come that He should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved His own which were in the world,

He loved them unto the end.

John 13:1 KJV

Jesus didn't just talk about love,

He put love 

into action.

 

Imagine this...

in the next few hours Jesus will see three of His disciples fall asleep instead of keeping vigil

with Him in the Garden of Gethsemane.

~.

Jesus will then be betrayed by the kiss of one who had

walked with Him for 3 1/2 years,

heard Him teach,

 shared His food,

seen Him heal the sick and even raise the dead.

~

Christ will before that night is over see

all His closest friends

desert Him,

and later

He'll hear one of them--

the one who confessed that He knew Jesus was the long awaited Messiah--

deny Him not once but several times.

~

Finally,

Jesus Christ 

 will be put through an illegal trial,

 scourged,

beaten,

publicly humiliated

and then executed between two criminals.

~  

And so what did Jesus do in those last few hours before He walked the Via Dolorosa...

the Way of Suffering?

Well the only begotten Son of God,

was about His Father's business.

 

We find Him eating with those who will soon desert Him;

we see Him humbly washing their feet--

(even the one He knew would betray Him). 

 

We hear Him praying for them

(and for those coming after who would also believe)

and we see Him continuing teaching;

 comforting and preparing them for the hard times ahead--

 

 Now that, is love...

true, agape, pure, perfect, sacrificial,

I Corinthians 13 love,

and that is the type of love we are to have one for another if we are His followers...

that is the type of love I am supposed to have.

 

A new commandment I give unto you,

That ye love one another; as I have loved you...

John 13:34 KJV

 

Blessings from me to you on this Maundy Thursday evening,

Aimee

 

Links/Notes:

The story of Christ's last passover on earth--

the Last Supper is told in the following chapters:

Matthew 26, Mark 14, Luke 22, John 13-17 and also in I Corinthians 11:23-25.

 

Maundy Thursday:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maundy_Thursday

 

 

The WORD on Wednesday: Looking Ahead to Good Friday

And He (Jesus) said,

Abba, Father, all things are possible unto Thee;

take away this cup from Me:

nevertheless not what I will, but what Thou wilt.

Mark 14:36 KJV

How often I've prayed prayers similar to this one but

--of course--

leaving out the last, most important part...

"nevertheless not what I will, but what Thou wilt".

I hate pain; I'm not fond of suffering either. 

Times of trials are no fun and can drain me emotionally and physically.

Oh, and did I say, submission is a "bit" difficult for me too?

Seemingly unanswered prayer

(prayers not answered my way and not in a timely fashion)

can leave me doubting God's love for me.

 

Of course that speaks more to my pride than God's love, doesn't it?

Jesus didn't doubt God's love.

He truly believed, He knew, all things would work together for good...

 He trusted His Father completely.

Yes, He knew that submission to His Father's plan

would mean horrific pain, suffering and humiliation for a time--

after all, by the time of His crucifixion, He had had ample opportunity to see many crucifixions

(the Romans practiced very public executions of those they condemned to death).

His humanity cried out for God to deliver Him from this,

and yet He was willing to do God's will--

despite the heavy cost

and because of His obedience, His submission even to death,

we can be reconciled to God--forgiven.

~

Abba Father help me to trust You in the good,

and also, in the bad times of my life.

In Jesus' Name,

Amen.

Have a blessed Holy Week

and a truly good,

Good Friday.

Blessings, Aimee