Matthew 21- 28. Yep that’s chapters folks.
Parades. Children’s Choir Concerts. Corporate Temple Clean outs. Teaching engagements. Dinner parties. Spa experiences. Night time prayer vigils. Betrayal of friends over and over and over. The darkest night. The longest day. The brightest morning.
Jesus’ last week on earth in human form was no joke. From the moment Palm Sunday starts we see a focused, not messing around, fierce yet compassionate man with one goal in mind – following the instructions of his heavenly father. The end of his earthly journey is in site and each moment of this week held importance. Jesus had a packed schedule and filled every encounter with teachable moments. We don’t see him checking off items on his personal bucket list, “Last things I want to do as a human” but living out the calling he was sent to fulfill all along.
I am realizing as I prepare to write these last devotions of what has felt like an extra long Lenten season… that I could have spent all 47 days on just the events of this week. I have never stopped to pay attention to the details from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday – until this year. My husband tells me that 1/3 of the gospel messages from Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are the retelling of the events of this week. 1/3. That’s a big piece of the pie. And one we would do well to spend some time processing.
so…. I’m stopping here today and my bossy, cheerleader, extroverted self…. is going to direct you to the WORD. As we head into this week… the greatest gift I can give you is an invitation to read it for yourself. Matthew: Chapters 21-28. Yep – all of it. You’ll start with Palm Sunday and move through the resurrection. Read it in several versions. Take a pause from the scrolling, the game playing, the baking, the posting…. and settle in to begin your own personal journey to the cross.
Oh… I’ll be back tomorrow. Jesus has shown me so much I want to share. I just want us all to be starting in the same place. May God bless your time with him in his story for you… today.
Loving you where you are. Pointing you forward to where he is.
justbeth:)
justbeth:) 