Reflect
I can’t believe the news today.
Oh, I can’t close my eyes and make it go away. How long? How long must I sing this song?
My soul is troubled. So far today, I’ve met with people affected by the Turkey/Syria earthquakes, stage 4 lung cancer, adult child struggling with mental health, alcohol addictions, refugees, and it’s barely 1pm. Thinking that writing a devotional would help, I slam into v.21, ‘Jesus was troubled in his spirit’. Our passage today is set on Maundy Thursday of Holy Week. It’s Jesus’s farewell message (thanks Francis), tomorrow Jesus dies, and He is troubled.
Now, recall with me, that Jesus is not opposed to being a troublemaker. I suspect His disciples cringed as Love (Jesus) would come to town and rescue people, on the Sabbath. Jesus was eager to shake up the status quo as the religious elite would put their heads down and let status quo be an idol. Jesus led with the Sabbath being for the people; not the people for the Sabbath. Because Jesus would authentically Sabbath, He fulfilled His Father’s desire for healing and restoration. That is never clearer than when He is troubled during this farewell message. He is the Man of Sorrows because He has increasingly the troubles of the world put upon Him, including a kiss from a friend.
What is preventing you from trusting Jesus with all your troubles?
How is the experience of Sabbath creating space for you to bring your troubles to the Cross?
Pastor Dan
Pray
- Pray for our Prime Minister and Premier, Mayor Sohi, your MP, your MLA, and any other government officials God brings to your mind
- Pray for Dave Schneider, our Youth and Worship Pastor and Erin Gibbard, Youth Ministry Associate