On Friday of Holy Week — Good Friday — Jesus was crucified for our sins (Matthew 27:1-66, Mark 15:1-47, Luke 23:1-56, John 19:1-42.)

Take some time today to reflect on what Christ did for you.
Take time today to thank God for the salvation you have through Christ.

As a prayer for Good Friday, I offer the following — A
Responsive Prayer On Christ’s Passion — from The Book Of Common Worship of the Presbyterian Church, USA

Our Redeemer suffered death,
Was buried and rose again for our sake.
With love let us adore him, aware of our needs.

Christ our teacher,
for us you were obedient, even unto death:

Teach us to obey God’s will in all things.

Christ our life,
by dying on the cross
you destroyed the power of evil and death:

Enable us to die with you, and rise with you in glory.
Christ our strength, you were despised,
And humiliated as a common criminal:

Teach us the humility by which you saved the world.

Christ our salvation,
you gave your life out of love for us:

Help us to love one another.

Christ our savior,
on the cross you embraced all time
with your outstretched arms:

Gather all the scattered children of God into your realm

Jesus, Lamb of God,

have mercy on us.

Jesus, bearer of our sins,

have mercy on us.

Jesus, redeemer of the world,

grant us peace.

Jesus prayed that He would not have to die on the cross — and yet at the end He accepted God’s will. (Matthew 26:31-46, Mark 14:32-42, Luke 22:39-46).

If you have ever seen the movie “The Passion Of The Christ“, you will remember the first scenes at Gethsemane and the Devil trying to persuade Jesus to abandon God’s plan — but Jesus resisting. It’s a very powerful rendition of this powerful event.

Jesus accepted and followed God’s will for Him — even though it meant suffering and death.

O God — Strengthen me when I am tempted to abandon Your will for my life, so that I may follow You. Amen.

One thing that occurred on Thursday of Holy Week — also known as Holy Thursday or Maundy Thursday was that Jesus gave the disciples the “new commandment” — to love one another (John 13:34). (The Latin word for “commandment” is mandatum — thus the English word “maundy”).

Jesus gave this new commandment while washing the disciples feet (John 13:1-17, John 13:31-38). This action of washing the feet of the disciples shows the humility and servant nature of Christ — an attitude that does not come naturally for me, and that I need strength to work on.

I will post about several other events that occurred on Thursday, but for now think about your attitude of service and commitment to Christ.

Lord — on this day when you showed Your humility and attitude of service, strengthen me so I may serve You and others better, and be better obedient to Your mandate to love one another. Amen.

One event that may have occurred on Tuesday of Holy Week is the Greeks coming to see Jesus (John 12:20-36).

It is good that Gentiles came to see Jesus — and that Jesus welcomed them. I say “it is good” that Jesus welcomed Gentiles because I am one — as are so many people. In the mindset of the community John was addressing anyone who was not of Jewish lineage was a Gentile.

When I see how Jesus welcomed folks others may not have welcomed, I wonder how willing I am to take Jesus to all people — regardless of who they are?

Lord — I praise You for Your love for me. Help me to follow You — to hear Your call and Your voice in my life — and to take Your love to all people. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

On Monday of Holy Week tradition holds Jesus chased the money changers out of the temple (Matthew 21:12-13, Mark 11:15-17).

Why did Jesus do this?

I believe it was because He wanted to “cleanse the temple” of the things that were distracting the people from a true relationship with God.

This raises the question:

What is it that Jesus might want to “cleanse” — to “clean out” — of my life so I can have a better relationship with Him?

Lord Jesus — Cleanse from my life anything that is holding me back from a true and right relationship with You. In Your holy name I pray, Amen.

Holy Week is the most important week in the Christian year as the services recount the events that took place when Jesus was betrayed, crucified, and rose again.

Many churches have changed the focus from their traditional Palm Sunday “triumphal entry” motif for today to a more somber “Passion Sunday” motif to begin the week with a more subdued reflection on the suffering of Christ — saving the celebratory mode for Easter.

I’ll post more about the days of Holy Week as we move through the week, but for now, try to find ways to focus on what Christ has done for you.

Here’s a prayer for Holy Week to help you in your reflections from the Book of Common Worship of the Presbyterian Church (USA):

God of all, you gave your only-begotten Son to take the form of a servant, and to be obedient even to death on a cross.
Give us the same mind that was in Christ Jesus, that, sharing in his humility, we may come to be with him in his glory, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. In the name of Christ we pray, Amen.

1 Then Job replied to the LORD:
2 “I know that you can do all things;
no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
3 You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.
4 “You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me.’ 5 My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. 6 Therefore I despise myself
and repent in dust and ashes.”

Job thought he had his life under control until he lost everything, and after he lost everything struggled to regain control of his life. God challenged Job consider who is really in control of creation, and to trust that He is in control. Job then understood that God was in control, and trusted God.

I am a lot like Job. I feel a need to be in control of every detail of my life, and become upset when I am not. Like Job, I need to remember that God is in control and serve Him, even (or especially) when things seem out of control.

Lord — I feel the need to be in control at all times. Forgive me, and let me trust in you. Amen.

1 Hear me, LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. 2 Guard my life, for I am faithful to you; save your servant who trusts in you. You are my God; 3 have mercy on me, Lord, for I call to you all day long. 4 Bring joy to your servant, Lord, for I put my trust in you.

There are times when we all go through afflictions and hard times. At these times we can either chose turn against God or we can choose to turn to God and be strengthened by God.

My Lenten devotionals this year are reminding me to turn to God in times of hardship. Jesus must have had Psalm 86:1-4 on his mind and heart many times in His life, especially as He prepared to go to the cross and as He was on the cross. His example of total trust in God strengthens my trust in Him.

In times of affliction, turn to God.

Lord — Lord, in times of affliction, let me find my help and strength in You. Amen.

For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

As a follower of Christ I can make Christ my purpose for living. God strengthens me so that I can live like Christ — think like Christ — and act like Christ. God can strengthen me so that I can share Christ’s love with others in all I say and do.

I can also know that if I make Christ my purpose for living then I will have a purpose in death also.

Making Christ my purpose in living and dying makes me the person God calls me to be.

Lord — Be my purpose in life and in death. Let me serve You while on earth, and celebrate with You in heaven. Amen.

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 5 For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. 6 If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer.

There are a lot of times that I go through what I call “sufferings”.
Sometimes it’s major things that weigh on my mind and heart and sometimes it’s minor things that I worry about, but at the times I go through them they all seem to be “sufferings” to me. When I look back at those times I see how God is acting in my life, usually through friends or family members who are supporting me and guiding me on the way.

I need to do a better job at recognizing that God is with me when I feel like I am suffering. I also need to do a better job at being with others and showing God’s love to them in their suffering also.

Lord God, In my time of suffering You come to me and strengthen me. Help me to see You in my life, and help me to share Your presence with others. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.