God is Great!

LENT--DAY 37

SCRIPTURE

Wednesday in Holy Week
Psalm 70 (NRSV)

Be pleased, O God, to deliver me

Be pleased, O God, to deliver me.
O Lord, make haste to help me!
Let those be put to shame and confusion
who seek my life.
Let those be turned back and brought to dishonor
who desire to hurt me.
Let those who say, "Aha, Aha!"
turn back because of their shame.

Let all who seek you
rejoice and be glad in you.
Let those who love your salvation
say evermore, "God is great!"
But I am poor and needy;
hasten to me, O God!
You are my help and my deliverer;
O Lord, do not delay!



DEVOTION

Today, as I pray, I hear these words from Psalm 70 as a word of prophesy to be placed into the mouth of Jesus during Holy Week.

I can just imagine these words--or ones very similar--pouring forth from Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane as he prayed, "If it be your will, let this cup pass over me, but no my will, but Thy will be done..."

I can imagine these words pouring forth from Jesus as he was taken from Pilate to Herod and then to Pilate again, through the jeers and spitting of a mob determined to see him die.

I can imagine these words pouring forth from Jesus as he was stripped, beaten, crowned with thorns, and then nailed to an old rugged cross.

And yet, the reality is that when it came time for Jesus to die, he did not pray, "Let those be put to shame and confusion who seek my life. Let those be turned back and brought to dishonor who desire to hurt me. Let those who say, "Aha, Aha!" turn back because of their shame."

Rather, he prayed, "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do."


Let us pray:

Ah, Holy Jesus! On this day we rejoice and are glad in you, saying "GOD IS GREAT!" We love you and your salvation and we thank you for being our strong deliverer. Although humanity deserved to be cursed for our sin and murderous behavior toward you, you chose to bless us, making atonement for our sin and gifting us with eternal life. I am so sorry that my sin cost you so much. Please forgive me of my sin and assist me in sharing the good news that you love all of us this much! I pray this in Jesus' Name, Amen.



INVITATION

If you have questions about how to become a friend and follower of Jesus, please see the devotion entitled, “Come to Jesus” @ http://bit.ly/JVhaL