Let's Cut Cleopas & His Sidekick Some Slack, Too!

Walking in the Truth after Easter

Today's Scriptural Truths

Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about 7 miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked & discussed these things w/each other, Jesus himself came up & walked along with them, but they were kept from recognizing Him. He asked them, 'What are you discussing together as you walk along?'       
      "They stood still, their faces downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, asked Him, 'Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem & do not know the things that have happened here in these days?' 'What things?' He asked . . . 
      "He said to them, 'How foolish you are, & how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things & then enter His glory?' And beginning w/Moses & all the Prophets, He explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself . . . 
      "When He was at the table w/them, He took bread, gave thanks, broke it & began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened & they recognized Him, & He disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, 'Were not our hearts burning within us while He talked w/us on the road & opened the Scriptures to us?'"  Luke 24:13-19, 25-27, 30-32  [To get the full effect, you really need to read the full context in Luke 24:13-35.]

Today's Devotional Thoughts

It seems incredible, doesn't it? Jesus--yes, that would be the same Jesus recently crucified on the cross just several days earlier . . . witnessed by MANY, probably including these two disciples . . . walks up beside Cleopas & his fellow disciple on the lonely road from Jerusalem back to Emmaus on Sunday, late afternoon, early evening . . . 

And they don't recognize Him? Well, let's not be too hard on them.

• The past few days have been very traumatic, to say the least.
• Probably the last sight they had of Jesus was unforgettable . . . & not in a good way.
• They were undoubtedly exhausted, fatigued, numbed by grief . . . Was PTSD a recognized mental health disorder in 33 A.D.?
• Cleopas sums it up for the stranger when he says, "He was a prophet, powerful in word & deed before God & all the people. The chief priests & our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, & they crucified him; but we had hoped that He was the one who was going to redeem Israel." [24:19b-21a]
• Did you catch that? He was a . . . prophet . . . We had hoped He was the one to redeem Israel.
• Redeem Israel from what? From whom? From subjection to the Romans? From the oppression of the religious leaders whose idea of holy living included hundred of Sabbath-day injunctions?

Stop for a moment & ponder . . . What kind of Messiah do we want . . . do you want? Do we want, expect, crave a Messiah who will deliver us from every earthly sorrow, ache & pain? A Savior from poverty, depression, terrorism, war?

A Christ to make American great again?

Why should we expect to react any differently than Cleopas & his sidekick?

Disciples whose faith has been irretrievably lost? Not so fast . . . because Cleopas continues, "And what is more, it is the 3rd day since all this took place. In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn't find his body. They came & told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. Then some of our companions went to the tomb & found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see." [vv.21b-24]

I think they're holding onto at least a shred of hope, don't you? And Jesus, who could have shaken His head in disgust, grabbed his thorn-pocked noggin in frustration, rolled His holy eyes & dismissed these two thick-headed Judeans [I think Emmaus is in Judea?!], leaving them in their dust & depression . . . does what?

Yes, He does call them "foolish," which is, after all, His prerogative, but then, "BEGINNING WITH MOSES & ALL THE PROPHETS, HE EXPLAINED TO THEM WHAT WAS SAID IN ALL THE SCRIPTURES CONCERNING HIMSELF." [v. 27]

And by the power of the Holy Spirit, He unlocks all the Scriptures concerning Himself to us, as well! By the grace given to us freely as a gift from God, He enables us to believe that the bloody corpse on the cross is GONE!

It's GONE . . . and the tomb where we last saw Him on Friday evening, wrapped in a burial shroud . . . It's EMPTY! As empty as the women found it on that first Easter Sunday morning . . . Those burial cloths as empty & neatly wrapped as Peter & John discovered them later that same morning.

Because our God is alive!

No, He's not a Savior from illness, injury, bad childhood memories, debilitating infirmity, depression--wretched hips that need to be replaced--all these are the consequences of a sinful world.

Much better than all of these things . . . Jesus Christ is our Savior who has defeated sin . . . 

. . . and death . . . and Satan.

A Last Scriptural Truth Better Than Anything I Have to Offer

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast."  Ephesians 2:8-9

Today's Prayer *

St. 1  Christ has arisen, alleluia. Rejoice and praise Him, alleluia.
For our Redeemer burst from the tomb, Even from death, dispelling its gloom.
Let us sing praise to Him with endless joy; 
Death's fearful sting He has come to destroy.
Our sin forgiving, alleluia! Jesus is living, alleluia!

* Another favorite Easter hymn:  Christ Has Arisen, Alleluia, LSB #466

Addendum

This is a devotion I wrote for the 2016 post-Easter season.

Smelly Trees + Hip Update + Cocoa Pebbles + Invaluable Political Insights

Whimsical WED

Wednesday Whimsy

From Omaha World Herald (3/28):  "Putrid smell hastens fall from grace for once-loved Callery pear trees. It's a gorgeous day in early spring. The sun is shining. The birds are singing. Beside you is a beautiful tree covered in small cream-colored flowers. You inhale deeply--& promptly choke. You've just encountered a Callery pear tree, a variety of ornamental tree that, for about a week every spring, blossoms into a dazzling display of flowers--that exude a pungent odor.
      "The descriptions differ--rotting flesh, bodily fluids--but in almost all cases, they're gross. 'It smells like vomit,' said Phil Pierce, consulting arborist & former City of Omaha employee. There are more than 360 Callery pear trees in Omaha parks . . . "  [Did you notice the term "former"?]

A Hip Update

This is meant to be an update about my new hip, not an update that is meant to be "hip." [You will have to scroll down to definition #4.]

• I had my left hip replaced on TUE 3/15.
• Due to a reaction to one of my medications, I had to spend an extra night in the hospital on FRI 3/18. [More on that Friday.]
• On SAT 3/19, I transferred to Heritage of Bel Air, since it was obvious that I needed additional "assisted" living.
• My experience in Heritage was very positive--lots of attention, lots of physical & occupational therapy, a soft-serve machine . . . my only complaint? Coffee-flavored water. [Apparently they hadn't heard of Seattle's Best Dark #5; I didn't want to hurt their feelings, because they were outstanding in all other respects, so I never brought up the subject.]
• I came home on Good FRI 3/2/5.
• For the time being, I'm doing my PT exercises @ home w/no additional out-patient PT scheduled.
• This could change after my first post-surgery visit w/my orthopedic surgeon this afternoon.
• I get around very well w/my walker, sometimes using it as a cane.
• I haven't tried to navigate the basement stairs yet, which is too bad, because the TV is downstairs. [More on that Friday, too.]
• Pain is minimal. I would describe it more as a soreness. I've had more discomfort from a case of gout in my left big toe that flared up about the time I transferred to Bel Air.
• The Lord's been good to me.

Criminal Minds

From Norfolk Daily News (3/14):  "Kellogg's 'outraged' by man urinating on assembly line. A criminal investigation is underway after a video surfaced online showing a man urinating on a Kellogg's factory assembly line, the company said. The company said it learned of the video FRI & immediately alerted law enforcement authorities & regulators . . . Kellogg's said its own investigation determined the video was recorded at its Memphis, TN, factory in 2014."  [I'm not sure I will ever look at a bowl of Cocoa Pebbles the same way again.]

Also from NDN (3/15):  "A Denver woman has been accused if stealing a taxi, but not before she told the driver where she was headed . . . the cab driver called police early FRI to say a woman got in his cab & asked to go to  a 7-11 store. Police said she then threatened  him w/a knife, kicked him out of the taxi & took off in the vehicle. The woman ditched the cab but walked to the convenience store. Police said she was arrested there."  [No comment necessary.]

Taglines from Drudge Report (3/27) *
"Parents in Easter Egg hunt rampage...Adults push children to ground, steal their buckets...4-year-old 'bloody' @ chaotic free event . . ." [I wish I would have checked the location, because this is really more suitable for "There Is No Place Like . . . "] **
"Bill would ban texting while walking . . . " [Also wish I would have noted the location of this news item, because if there's one thing we need, it's protection from WWT.] ***
** It goes without saying ** that it must have been a blue state. You know, sense of entitlement & all that.
*** Walking While Texting

Tagline from Drudge Report (3/28) *
"WILD WEST:  CA Man on Horseback Chases Down Thief . . . " [Also suitable for "There Is No Place Like . . . California!"]
"Spider-Man shows up to court in costume, judge not impressed . . . "  [I can neither confirm nor deny that it was Judge Judy.]
"Smuggler caught by Border Patrol 24 times finally jailed . . . " [I can neither confirm nor deny that this person was finally jailed when it was discovered that he had voted for "He-Who-Is-Deemed-Irrelevant" in every Democratic primary to date.]

* I didn't waste my time reading the articles

Proud to Be an American

Tagline from Drudge Report (3/28):
"Fidel lectures Obama...Cuba 'has no need of gifts from USA..." [DEPT OF IMAGINARY CONVERSATIONS:  SOS *: Mr. President, Raul's big brother has also gone on record as lecturing the US for our sorry human rights record. POTUS: No kidding? SOS: And he also says that Cuba has no need of gifts from us! POTUS: Hmmm. SOS: Guess our so-called friends from the south can kiss diplomatic relations good-bye, forget about the end of the trade embargo, & never mind any of our massive financial aid, right? POTUS: Right . . . BOTH: Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! POTUS: Now what were you saying about that treaty w/North Korea?]
* Secretary of State

Political Potpourri

Also from OWH (3/24):  "Clinton touts her ability to deal w/terrorism. Hillary Clinton on WED sought to position herself as the only candidate equipped to deal w/international terrorism. In tone, in body language & in the content of her speech at Stanford University, Clinton drew a stark contrast w/Republicans Donald Trump & Sen. Ted Cruz . . . 'We need to rely on what actually works, not bluster that alienates our partners & doesn't make us any safer,' Clinton said . . . 'Our response must be just as nimble [emphasis added] & far reaching. We need to reinforce the alliances * that have been pillars of American power for decades.'"  [Considering "She-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named"'s record as Secretary of State, "nimble" is not the first word that comes to mind when I envision what her ability to deal w/international terrorism might be like.]
* Iran? Cuba? Libya?

There Is No Place Like . . . 

Nebraska?!

Also from OWH (3/29):  "Storms, possibly snow, in store for Nebraska. Blizzard conditions are possible in the NE Panhandle tonight (3/29) into WED as another major storm moves across the central U.S. As the system pushes across NE, it could bring snow to the northeast corner of the state on WED . . . "  [Last THU 3/24, we received 10.5" of snow. On SAT 3/26, another 3" maybe? Since I'm typing this on TUE 3/29, maybe I'm jinxing our chance for snow on 3/30?!]

BREAKING WEATHER UPDATE! According to the NOAA web site this morning, snow is no longer in our forecast . . . only a chance of thunderstorms, beginning later this afternoon . . . lows in the 30s by this weekend, however.

Polar Vortexs + An Empty Tomb

Mental Health MON * Special TUE Edition *

A Hip Update . . . Coming WED 3/30! *

* Does this leave you breathless?

Reasons to Be Anxious? Depressed?

Tagline from Drudge Report (3/27):
"Polar Vortex Will Bring Record Cold to Midwest, East . . . "

A Reason to Be Anything but Depressed

Skit Guys:  Peter & John @ The Tomb

* Because I wrote a TUE devotional yesterday, then inadvertently published it. Consider yesterday's devotional a Special MON edition of a TUE devotional. **
** Yes, this could be relevant to a Mental Health post.

Let's cut Peter & John a little slack!

Walking in the Truth after Easter

Today's Scriptural Truths

"On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared & went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, 'Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; He has risen! Remember how He told you, while He was still with you in Galilee:  'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified & on the 3rd day be raised again.' ' Then they remembered His words.
      "When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven & to all the others. It was Mary Magdalene Joanna, Mary the mother of James, & the others with them who told this to the apostles. But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. Peter, however, got up & ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, & he went away, wondering to himself what had happened."  Luke 24:1-12

"So Peter & the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter & reached the tomb first. He bent over & looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived & went into the tomb. He saw the tips of linen lying there, as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus' head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw & believed. (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.)"  John 20:3-9

Today's Devotional Thoughts

• We always make a  big deal about the fact that it was the women who first ventured to the tomb, not the apostles. And well we should! Some men THEY turned out to be!
• In their defense, however, I must point out that the women, while apparently not afraid of being arrested, like the apostles were, did show up with burial spices to anoint a body. Jesus' body hadn't had time for a proper treatment on Friday evening before the Sabbath began.
• So the women went to the tomb expecting to find a body, not an empty tomb.
• Shock #1 . . . The tomb is empty! It must have taken their breath away!
• Shock #2 . . . Two men are standing beside them . . . Roman soldiers? No . . . No soldiers anywhere to be found . . . These two guys are dressed in clothes that gleam like lightning.
• You would bow down, too . . . If not in fright, like these women . . . Because you wouldn't be able to bear the sight of two men with clothes gleaming like lightning.
• Shock #3 . . . The words spoken by these two men:

Back to Scriptural Truths

"'Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; He has risen! Remember how He told you, while He was still with you in Galilee:  'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified & on the 3rd day be raised again.' ' Then they remembered His words."  verses 5b-8

A Few (I Hope) * More Devotional Thoughts

* Turned out to be wishful thinking

• The tomb is empty . . . because Jesus has risen from the dead . . . 
• Just like He told them He would . . . because . . . 
• Because . . .  God always . . . ALWAYS KEEPS HIS PROMISES!
• Before we get too judgmental, i.e., why did Jesus have to repeat Himself over & over & over again? How many times did it take the Truths of Scripture to sink into our thick brains over & over & over again?
• The women don't sit on the Good News.
• They hurry back to the Eleven [I don't have to remind you about Judas' fate, do I?] & tell them the astounding news.
• Naturally, the men can't possibly take the women's news @ face value. [In their defense, based on the culture of the day, a woman's word could not be used against someone in a trial. You can look it up!]
• Only Peter & one other disciple--it's gotta be John--immediately take off running--their fears of arrest temporarily suspended . . . What's with the others? 
• They have to see for themselves, so at least cut THESE two a little slack.
• John must be a little younger & perhaps in a little better shape, because he gets to the tomb first.
• But Peter . . . same ol' brash, impetuous Peter . . . heads into the tomb first, and finds
• And finds . . . 
• Nothing . . . 
• They see & believe . . . But they believe . . . what?
• They believe that the tomb is empty . . . the evidence is obvious.
• "They still did not understand from Scriptures that Jesus had to rise from the dead." (John 20:9)
• Honestly . . . our reaction would have been different . . . how?

Today's Prayer - A Favorite Easter Hymn *

St. 1  Now all the vault of heaven resounds In praise of love that still abounds:
"Christ has triumphed! He is living!"
Sing, choirs of angels, loud & clear! Repeat their songs of glory here:
"Christ has triumphed! Christ has triumphed!"
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

St. 4  Adoring praises now we bring And with the heavenly blessed sing:
"Christ has triumphed! Alleluia!"
Be to the Father & our Lord, To Spirit blest, most holy God,
All the glory, never ending! Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

*  Now All the Vault of Heaven Resounds, LSB #465

An Addendum

I've adapted many of my devotionals from those I wrote for the Daily Announcements of Lutheran High Northeast during the 2014-15 school year. This is one I wrote originally for the 2016 Easter season.

I Do It Myself!

Considering Truths on Easter Sunday

Today's Scriptural Truths

"Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say this--those He redeemed from the hand of the foe . . . Whoever is wise, let him heed these things & consider the great love of the Lord."  Psalm 107:1-2a, 43

"They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, 'Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; He has risen!' . . ."  Luke 24:2-6a

"'Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?' The stone of death is sin, & the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."   1 Corinthians 15:55-56

Today's Devotional Thoughts, Helped Along by Some Scriptural Truths

"I do it myself!"

The words parents come to dread . . . The words the make grand-parents chuckle.

Remember the Terrible Twos? Personally, my wife & I came to believe in the Terrible Twos, but mostly as preparation for the Terrible Threes. C'mon, be honest. As our children "matured" into the Terrible Threes, they gave new meaning to words like "naughty."

Yes, if you are honest, you will admit that your children, like ours, were naughty, & your grand-children, like ours, albeit undeniably cute, intelligent. handsome, & beautiful, were & remain today . . . incorrigibly naughty.

If they didn't & don't make you a believer in original sin, well . . . why not? What's wrong with you?!

Much of what makes the Terrible Twos & Threes "terrible" is the emerging sense of independence . . . self-will . . . STRONG self-will . . . perhaps epitomized by the use of the word "NO!"

Come to Daddy.  "No." "Be quiet in church." No. "Time for bed." No.

And then the ultimate phrase of self-will & independence: "I do it myself!"

Let me help you with that glass. "I do it myself" [If you were lucky, what followed was the sound of a PLASTIC glass hitting the floor, followed by a mini-tsunami of--if you were lucky, water--not orange juice, splashing all over the--if you were lucky, the linoleum, not carpet.]

We might have laughed . . . the first time. We might have smiled the first time our wives told us the story . . . but we soon learned that it wasn't that funny, cleaning up the messes . . . and teaching our children that self-control was just as important as independence? Well, that was a chore, wasn't it . . . A chore that lasted into toddler-hood, pre-adolescence . . . adolescence [Did I mention ADOLESCENCE?] . . . & into adulthood.

Our own adulthood. And if we are honest with ourselves, some of us took longer to outgrow the Terrible Twos & Threes than others . . . Some [most?] of us still lapse into occasional bouts of Terrible T's, & then there are some [and, seriously, you are on my prayer list every day] may still find themselves in the Terrible Twos & Threes, spiritually speaking.

Because we constantly fight that battle, do we not? "I do it myself."

I prefer to go it my way rather than God's Way. My way looks more praiseworthy. My way looks more profitable. My way looks more self-satisfying.

And all along we were . . .we STILL are kidding ourselves.

• Born & baptized Lutheran . . . Literally growing up in the shadow of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Concordia, Missouri? . . . Not good enough.
• Attending Lutheran parochial school . . . Confirmed in the LCMS . . . Attending a Lutheran High School . . . Lutheran Junior College . . . Lutheran Senior College . . . Sorry, didn't cut it.
• Marrying a nice, Lutheran girl . . . Helping her raise three beautiful Lutheran kids & providing for their Christian education . . . Serving in Lutheran secondary education for almost 40 years . . . Writing devotionals for Orphan Grain Train & pretending to be a skilled devotional blogger on Facebook . . . well, I'll let you be the judge . . . I know the verdict.
• And then there is the unfortunate matter of my own self-righteousness . . . OUR OWN self-righteousness. In case I/you need a reminder, consider this:

"All of us have become like one who is unclean, & all our righteous acts are like filthy rags . . . "  Isaiah 64.6a

• All those years growing up in the shadow of St. Paul's Lutheran Church, growing up the son of Lutheran day school teachers & attending Lutheran schools . . . maybe, & I hesitate admitting it [except my siblings & classmates would convict me], more than once or twice, acting like a little jerk . . . You know, breaking one or two [or three or four] commandments every day . . . day after day . . . year after year . . . the commandments we tediously learned from our parents . . . learned from our teachers . . . learned in Sunday school & confirmation & religion classes.
• Failures as a husband . . . failures as a father . . . failures as a coach . . . as a teacher . . . as an administrators . . . failures that can still all too easily come back to haunt in the early morning hours . . . 
• Failures because . . . I do it myself! Yes, Lord, I know your promises but . . . but . . . I think maybe . . . just maybe . . . 

If I try a little harder . . . Learn a little more . . . Study the Bible a little harder . . . Become a better student . . . Better husband . . . Better father . . . Better teacher . . . Coach . . . Administrator . . . Win awards . . . Win respect . . . Win recognition . . . 

Maybe the more I DO IT MYSELF!

And thanks be to God for a Savior . . . for a God . . . who knew me . . . who knew YOU before the world began and declared:

I SHALL DO IT FOR YOU!

Did you get that? I'll repeat it just in case . . . 

I WILL . . . I SHALL DO IT FOR YOU!

Because you are a poor sinful being . . . conceived in sin . . . born into sin . . . living in sin . . . never truly knowing the fullness of holiness it would take to satisfy God's holiness & standards of justice . . . never fully capable of fulfilling the demands of God's standards of perfection . . . 

In fact, having no natural desire to let God into my life . . . into YOUR life, because . . . because . . . 

I DO IT MYSELF?

No, Paul . . . It's time to shut up . . . It's time to be still.

It's time to be quiet . . . It's time to be still.

He came to me at my baptism, & as the water poured down my head & the words were spoken, "I baptize you, Paul, in the name of the Father & of the Son & of the Holy Spirit," He really did speak to me, you know . . . He really did speak to many of you, too, you know . . . 

Or maybe He spoke to you later in your life when you heard THE WORD or you read THE WORD . . . and He came to you . . . not in the thunder & lightning of Mt. Sinai, but in the quiet, peaceful words of the Gospel of Jesus Christ . . . 

. . . Jesus, His Son, our brother, who came to us when we could not on our own come to Him, & whispered, "'Be still, & know that I am God'. . . " Psalm 46:10

Just a Few More Scriptural Truths

"To the Jews who had believed Him, Jesus said, 'If you hold to My teaching, you are really My disciples. Then you will know the truth, & the truth will set you free.'"  John 8:31-32

"I am the Way, the Truth, & the Life. No one comes to the Father but by Me."  John 14:6

"For God so loved the world that He gave His one & only Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."  John 3:16

"The soul that sins, it shall die." Ezekiel 18:20

"But what does it say? 'The word is near you; it is in your mouth & in your heart,' that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming:  That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' & believe in your heart that 'God raised Him from the dead,' you will be saved.'"  Romans 10:8-9

Some Closing Devotional Thoughts

Wow . . . If you hung in there this long, I salute you . . . I'm not sure I would have indulged myself . . . Here goes.

• Being Lutheran couldn't save me. He could save me. 
• I couldn't overcome my sinful, hateful, hurtful actions, no matter how hard I tried. He overcame them on the cross.
• I can never go back & make up for the harm I've done to others, to my Savior, 
• I don't have to . . . He's forgiven me. And I can pray that others will forgive me & I can forgive myself. Why?

The death we observed on Good Friday? His body isn't hanging on that cross anymore. Have you noticed? 
We can live as those who have been forgiven,
BECAUSE we are those who have been forgiven!

The empty grave we celebrated this morning? It's empty . . . 
Have you noticed? 

It's empty, empty, I tell you! 

And ours, too, will stand empty one day, as well. Because "I Did It Myself?" No.

HE DID IT HIMSELF!

He is risen . . . He is risen indeed . . . Alleluia.

A Long, Dark Saturday

A Meditation on Holy Saturday

Today's Scriptural Truths

"He was despised & rejected by men, a man of sorrows & familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces He was despised, & we esteemed Him not. Surely He took up our infirmities & carried our sorrows, yet we considered Him stricken by God, smitten by Him, & afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, & by His wounds we are healed."  Isaiah 53:3-5

Today's Devotional Thoughts

When is the nightmare going to end? Peter can't bear to lift his head & look any of his brothers in the eye. James & John sit off in a corner by themselves, occasionally given to quiet conversation that no one else is privileged to hear. Matthew broods.

Sleep? It came so easily in the Garden when Jesus asked, no, begged them to stay awake, be alert, pray with Him . . . it seems like ages ago . . . it was less than two days ago.

And then their world came tumbling down around them . . . Sleep? Now there is no sleep to be had.

James can't get the faces of the two thieves out of his mind . . . He remembers all too well how he & his brother convinced his mother to ask Jesus to reward them with the honored seats on His right & left hand when His Kingdom was restored . . . 

Some kingdom . . . A crown of thorns? A body bruised, battered, blood streaming in rivulets & pooling on the ground . . . The shrieks of the criminals as their legs were broken had made his brother physically ill.

Why didn't Jesus prove that He was the Messiah by stepping off that awful tree? Why did He die . . . Why did we think that we should be so honored to claim the seats of glory on His right & left side . . . It could have been us on the other two crosses . . . SHOULD have been us . . . 

John keeps looking at Peter. He should feel anger at Peter . . . yet he feels pity . . . The brawny, bragging fishermen . . . always quick to speak . . . quick to act . . . slow to think Peter . . . Willing to swear his allegiance to Jesus to the point of death . . . willing to draw a lone sword in the face of all those temple guards in the Garden . . . then running like a rabbit along with the rest of them . . . then denying that he even knew who Jesus was . . . using a sacred oath that only made him look guiltier . . . 

And when Jesus turned & looked at Peter in the courtyard . . . John had seen that look . . . and he had seen the anguish in Peter's face as everything Jesus had predicted came rushing back to haunt Peter . . . There must still be at least a little bit of the brash Galilean left in him to dare to come back & join the others.

Matthew broods . . . He recalls the exact time & place when Jesus called him . . . a tax collector . . . of all people to be a disciple? Unimaginable! Yet Jesus had been his best friend for three years . . . had taught him scripture in a way that Matthew had never heard it taught by any rabbi or scribe . . . had seen Jesus walk on water . . . had seen Jesus feed thousands with a few loaves & a couple of dried-up fish . . . had marveled at Jarius' daughter . . . at Lazarus . . . 

And then . . . the last 24 hours had been a blur, but this much he recalled from the prophet . . . He had truly seen his Messiah despised & rejected . . . despised . . . stricken by God . . . HIS OWN HEAVENLY FATHER?!

Smitten by Him . . . afflicted . . . pierced . . . crushed . . . punished . . . wounded . . . 

Dead . . . and where was Thomas?!

Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?

And then . . . in the midst of a dismal, darkened room . . . silent . . . barricaded for fear that they would be arrested any time & suffer the same fate . . . on a dreary . . . terrible Saturday when time seems to have stopped . . . it happens . . . if only for a brief moment.

The rest of the prophet's words come to mind . . . 

"Pierced for our transgressions...crushed for our iniquities...punishment that brought us peace...by His wounds we are healed."

Transgressions like wanting self-glory . . . Always keeping that image of a heavenly kingdom in the back of their minds instead of the Kingdom Jesus kept trying to push into their thick skulls? Yes.

Transgressions like confessing Jesus as Lord & Savior one moment . . . then denying His Lordship, not just by word but also by deed the next? Yes.

Transgressions like our own countless moral failures, weaknesses . . . failing those we love . . . failing a God who never fails? Yes.

Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!

In that briefest of moments, James, John, & Matthew make eye contact with each other . . . Each notices the puffy, red, tear-swollen, sleep-deprived eyes of the others . . . But in that briefest of moments their is the slightest, infinitesimal flashes of hope.

And in that briefest of moments, Peter, too, raises his head & makes the briefest of eye contact with his brothers . . . Does he feel the forgiveness of His Lord & Savior . . . Does he feel THEIR forgiveness?

They give him the briefest of nods before his head droops in silent agony again.

It's Saturday . . . It's very dark . . . It seems like they will never get the image of their dead brother, dead, nailed to a cross, out of their minds . . . It seems like they will never sleep again . . . Never dare to hope again? It's still many hours before dawn . . . 

Today's Prayer Thoughts

• Give thanks for a God who loved us so much that He was willing to sacrifice His one & only Holy Son for unholy people . . . you & me.
• Give thanks for a Savior who loved us so much that He was willing to endure the cross & all the the rejection & agony that came with it in order to make forgiveness & salvation possible for unholy people . . . you & me.
• Pray that those who do not yet know the message of the cross would come to receive the Gospel message & know that the God who sent His Son into the world to save sinners, sent His Son into the world to save them.
• Pray that they would know Jesus as their Lord & Savior & celebrate Easter Sunday as they have never celebrated it before.

Good Friday . . . Seriously? For Whom?

Considering Truths During Lent

Today's Devotional Thoughts

It goes without saying that the first "Good" Friday was obviously not so good for everyone. Christians throughout the ages since Christ's death on the cross "celebrate" the Lord's death with good reason--if the word "celebration" is appropriate . . . but a celebration on that first "Good" Friday? Doubt it.

You want a really good reason to celebrate on March 25? Try this . . . 

Today's Scriptural Truth

"In the 6th month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel went to her & said, 'Greetings, you who are highly favored! The word is with you . . . Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child & give birth to a son, & you are to give Him the name Jesus. He will be great & will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, & He will reign over the house of Jacob forever; His kingdom will never end.'"  Luke 1:26-28, 30b-33

More Devotional Thoughts

Remember the day you found out that you & your wife were going to have a baby? I'll never forget it. It was truly a night for celebration! 

You know what I learned today? "The date of the Annunciation falls on March 25, because the Ancient Church believed the crucifixion occurred on that date. In antiquity, people linked the day of a person's conception with the day of his or her death. Thus, in the Annunciation, the Church joined together both the incarnation of Jesus & the atonement He accomplished." *

So today is "Good" Friday, & today is March 25. A day to celebrate the announcement of a pretty special, one-of-a-kind conception . . . A day to . . . wait . . . what? Announcement of the death of that baby?

Well, of course we don't think about a baby dying on a cross. That would just plain be . . . gross. Perverted, wouldn't it?

We've been spending the last 40 days--well, many of us, I think--pondering the death of a grown-up . . . the death of a man . . . Jesus . . . true man . . . true God . . . arms out-stretched in a gory scene of Roman capital punishment.

Not everyone standing there may have had thoughts of staring at a man.

What was Mary thinking?

Where did the time go, Mary? It's been barely 30 years since the angel stood in your peasant's hut . . . Stood in your presence & announced news beyond all comprehension . . . beyond all joy . . . beyond all happiness . . . That was a really, really "Good" day.

Where did those 30 years go, Mary? How fast they went by--it seems like a blur! What happened to that beautiful baby boy, wrapped in cloths, lying in a cattle stall, just a few miles south of Golgotha? THAT was a really, really "Good" day.

What have they done to your son, Mary? He's been bruised & battered almost beyond recognition . . . No one, not even the criminals on either side of him should have to endure what he's been through these past few hours . . . a few hours that have stretched on & on & on & on . . . 

Until your baby boy . . . your precious baby boy . . . the One who was prophesied to save His people from their sins . . . to die on a cross like this one . . . in your wildest imaginations . . .  a death so horrific . . . a death that was necessary for you, too, Mary . . . for your sins, too . . . 

And for my sins, Mary . . . for our sins . . . for ALL of our sins, Mary . . . What weight He must be carrying . . . No, this is NOT a "Good" Friday . . . 

More Scriptural Truths

"When Jesus saw His mother there, & the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, 'Dear woman, here is your son,' & to the disciple, Here is your mother.'"  John 19:26-27a

More Devotional Thoughts

Her son's words to John were like a dagger to the heart . . . What was it the old man had said to her & Joseph in the Temple? "And a sword will pierce your own soul too?" [Luke 2:35b] 

Yes, she knew He would one day die Would WILLINGLY die . . . But like this? One day He would be gone . . . And this would be how she would remember Him? . . . No, no, no, no, no . . . This is NOT a "Good" Friday.

One More Scriptural Truth

"When He had received the drink, Jesus said, 'It is finished.' With that, He bowed His head & gave up His spirit."  John 19:30

Some Last Devotional Thoughts

And then the dreaded words . . . It is finished . . . His head drops . . . She sobs . . . She thinks that she hears John sob . . . An exclamation from a Roman soldier . . . Deep, chilling darkness . . . Even an eerie moment of silence from the religious leaders . . . No sounds of celebration now . . . They pause . . . They seem to shiver . . . They drift off . . . Mary hears wailing . . . Crying . . . But her sobs quietly fade as she ponders her son . . . 

Her son is sagging on the cross . . . a bloody mess to be sure . . . Her bloody, battered Son to be sure . . . It is finished . . . It has NOT been a "Good Friday" for her Son . . . 

It has Not been a "Good Friday" for John & the others, wherever they may be . . . 

It has NOT been a "Good Friday" for her . . . and yet . . . 

And yet . . . 

For the briefest of moments she thinks to herself . . . They didn't TAKE my Son's life . . . He GAVE His life . . . 

And there were prophecies . . . There were promises . . . There were HIS promises . . . 

Of something good . . . Something GREAT . . . 

SOMETHING SO MUCH GREATER THAT SHE FEELS MOVED TO TEARS AGAIN!

. . . but right now it doesn't feel good . . . She can't remember the last time she felt good . . . Can't remember the last time she felt this bad . . . 

IT HURTS SO BAD!

And as John puts his arm around her & gently leads her off the hill of skulls . . . 

It's all she can do to place one heavy foot in front of the other . . . She feels like she's wandering in a daze . . . enshrouded in grief . . . in fog . . . Where is Peter? . . . Where is Joseph? Where is Jesus? What have they done to my Son? What will they do with His body?

It is a dark, dark Friday . . . She can't imagine Saturday . . . She can't even begin to think of . . . 

Sunday.

Today's Prayer *

Almighty God, graciously behold this Your family for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed & delivered into the hands of sinful men to suffer death upon the cross; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives & reigns with You & the Holy Spirit, one God, now & forever. Amen.

* Source:  Treasury of Daily Prayer, (Concordia Publishing House), 2010.

Jesus Weeps Again . . . But Not for Himself

Considering Truths During Lent

Some Devotional Thoughts

By all rights, you'd think I'd be sharing thoughts about the Lord's Supper. After all, it is Maundy Thursday.

But I am having trouble shaking the image of Jesus crying from my mind. You may remember that it was just a few short days ahead of Palm Sunday that Jesus stood outside the grave of His friend Lazarus & wept. And now He weeps again.

Today's Scriptural Truths

      "Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, 'Teacher, rebuke Your disciples!'
      "'I tell you,' He replied, 'if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.'
      "As He approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He wept over it & said, 'If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace--but now it is hidden from your eyes. The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you & encircle You & hem you in on every side. They will dash you to the ground, you & the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God's coming to you.'"  Luke 19:39-44  

More Devotional Thoughts

I hope I'm not distracting you, because it's Maundy Thursday, but I jumped back to the Healing of Lazarus, & my scriptural meandering took me back to Palm Sunday, & now I'm reflecting on the Healing of Lazarus again. [It might help you to read the entire context of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead in John 11:1-44. You'll be glad you did.] 

Have you ever wondered why Jesus cried just moments before He raised Lazarus from the dead? After all . . . He knew He was about to raise Lazarus from the dead! Was it because He knew that He could have gotten there in time to heal His friend? Could have spared His friends Mary & Martha from the days of grief & mourning . . . & wondering, no doubt . . . Where was Jesus?

Jesus didn't come like they assumed. He didn't come until it was too late. Or was it? Jesus wept at the entrance to the tomb, but not for Lazarus. I say He wept for the all too raw emotions experienced by those who have lost a loved one. Jesus was true man, & the fulness of His humanity was on display. He felt the grief of His good friends, even as He knew that their brother & His brief would be free from the bonds of death.

Jesus wept . . . and then His full deity was on display . . . and then a few short days later Jesus wept again. And He had every reason to weep! He knew very well, as He entered Jerusalem on that first Palm Sunday . . . 

• Those cries of Hosanna would soon turn into cries of "Crucify Him! . . . 
• The disciples whom He had personally tutored for three intense years would still be arguing about who was the greatest, even as He stooped to wash their filthy feet at the Last Supper . . . [oops, forgot to warn you . . . I just jumped back to Maundy Thursday]
• One of those disciples would betray Him for the mere price of a slave . . . 
• One of those disciples would brag about his loyalty, boast of his courage, then desert him--along with all the others--& deny that he even knew His Lord & Savior!

Oh, He had more reasons to weep than that.

• He was soon to be arrested on false charges . . . 
• Tried & convicted by a kangaroo court . . . 
• Convicted on the basis of false testimony . . . 
• Stricken, smitten, & afflicted . . . 

All for what? All for who?

Jesus wept, but not for Himself . . . He wept for those who did not recognize the time of God's coming to them.

Jesus wept for sinners . . . Jesus wept for you & me.

He wept for all sinners of all times & all places . . . 

. . . And He died for all sinners of all times & all places.

Jesus, the almighty, Son of God, rode into Jerusalem on a . . . donkey? Taught in the temple . . . continued to condemn sin . . . continued to preach repentance & salvation for those who embraced Him as the true Messiah . . . the Son of God . . . 

He shared His body & blood in, with, & under the bread & wine of the first Lord's Supper on the first Maundy Thursday . . . He took His disciples to the Garden & prayed & sweat drops of blood.

Jesus wept for others . . . not for Himself.

He died for others . . . for you . . . for me . . . 

It's Maundy Thursday . . . Soon it will be Good Friday . . . Seriously? Good Friday?

Yes, Good. It's all Good because of Jesus . . . Jesus who was True Man & wept for us . . . Jesus who was True God . . . and died for us.

Today's Prayer *

O Lord, in this wondrous Sacrament You have left us a remembrance of Your passion. Grant that we may so receive the sacred mystery of Your body & blood that the fruits of Your redemption may continually be manifest in us; for You live & reign with the Father & the Holy Spirit, one God, now & forever. Amen.

* Borrowed from Treasury of Daily Prayer," (Concordia Publishing House), 2010.

Addendum

This devotion was written especially for Holy Week, 2016.

Temp Challenge + Political Potpourri You Can Trust

Whimsical WED

I'm not sure that posting a Whimsical WED blog is entirely appropriate during Holy Week, but here goes. I'm going to start w/a . . . 

Leckband Temp Challenge

Today's results are somewhat unconventional for the following reasons. (1) Ordinarily, I only factor in temperatures, since forecasts are notoriously unreliable. (2) I do not have access to my crack team of temp advisors, since I am in the Heritage of Bel Air Managed Care Facility, a few short blocks east & north of my official residence in Norfolk, NE. (3) I officially began my temp check @ 7:45a, CDT, this morning, but began backtracking, due to the wild nature of the forecast, which was already evident due to the anecdotal reports I was getting from family & staff, beginning yesterday morning {TUE 3/22}. (4) I'm using no special formulae, ratios, etc., today. In scientific, meteorological parlance, I am "flying by the seat of my pants." (5) Most importantly, I need not remind you, [but I am anyway] it's my blog.

Rankings based on wunderground temps & forecasts *

• #1, Ventura, IA, 37.6/windchill 32; forecast high 38; forecast 100% 8-12" snow by THU a.m. w/wind gusts up to 50 m.p.h.
• #2, Norfolk, NE,  38.1/34; forecast high 41; forecast 100% 5-8" snow by THU a.m. w/wind gusts up to 50 m.p.h.
• #3, Eagan, MN, 33.8/no wc; forecast high 37; forecast 80% 1-3" snow by end of WED; 80% additional 1-3" snow by THU a.m.; wind gusts up to 40 m.p.h.
• #4, Garrison, IA, 37.9/27; forecast high 41; forecast 80% 1" snow by THU a.m. w/wind gusts up to 40 m.p.h.
• #5, Lincoln, NE, 55/no wc; forecast high 62; 70% less than 1/2" snow overnight w/wind gusts up to 50 m.p.h.
• #6, Beatrice, NE, 53/no wc; forecast high 72; 50% chance snow w/no accumulation.  BALMIEST LECKBAND'S!!

Notes:
Can there even be any doubt re:  today's Balmiest Leckband Achievement? I will admit that the #1 distinction could be subject to some controversy. SEE comments above.
* although a lucrative sponsorship has not yet materialized, & I'm losing patience.

Criminal Minds

Tagline from Drudge Report 3/23:  "Man steals BMW after trying to buy it w/food stamps . . . " [I didn't bother reading the article, & I'll leave it to the reader to decide which is the greater crime.]

There Is No Place Like . . . 

New Jersey!

From Norfolk Daily News (3/19):  "Police buy 250 boxes of cookies from sisters who were berated. Police in New Jersey have bought 250 boxes of Girl Scout Cookies from two sisters who were berated by a woman who said no one wanted what they were selling. 12-year-old Natalie Skolar & her 9-year-old sister Angelina, were selling cookies door-to-door in Scotch Plains when one homeowner began cursing them. [emphasis added]
      "Angelina said the woman shouted that she didn't want to buy cookies before she slammed her door. An employee of the Fanwood Police Dept. saw a FB post detailing the encounter & began passing around an order sheet for cookies. The police dept. said it bought 250 boxes from the sisters." [I can neither confirm nor deny that after eating the cookies the police threw the empty cartons on this woman's lawn, then ticketed her for operating an unlicensed landfill.]

Great Britain?

From Omaha World Herald (3/22):  "UK research ship's name may be 'Boaty McBoatface.' [emphasis added] The name 'Boaty McBoatface' could be given to a $288 million research vessel. The name has emerged as a favorite since Britain's Natural Environment Research Council sought input. A spokeswoman said MON that the council is 'pleased that people are embracing the idea in the spirit of fun.'" [Our friends across the sea are embracing the idea in the spirit of fun about as seriously as I'm embracing the latest news about . . . ]

Global Climate Change Watch

Tagline from Drudge Report (3/23):  "CLAIM: Sea level falling for past six years . . . " [I admit . . . I've reached a point where I'm not sure any credibility can be granted government-sponsored reports re:  global climate change. However, in an attempt to keep my blog "fair & balanced," I also admit that I barely skimmed through the article that followed this tagline. Read it yourself. I dare you!] 

Political Potpourri

From OWH (3/21):  "Prom dresses tailored w/a safety message. The Omaha group behind the in-your-face public health campaign on STDs is displaying prom dresses made of condoms @ Crossroads Mall * & at a Dundee clothing store. The idea, according to the Adolescent Health Project, is to encourage safe sex on prom night . . . The effort aims 'to get people, particularly young people & parents, to talk about healthy sexual relations,' said Brenda Council **, project coordinator of the campaign. 'You see it, & it immediately grabs your attention' . . . 
      "Council ** said such efforts hopefully will encourage young people to abstain from six, 'but if they do engage, we want them to use safe sex practices.'" [Because nothing will inspire our young people to practice "safe sex" at prom time like prom dresses made from condoms . . . right? Right?!"]
** To the best of my knowledge, this Council bears no relation to the aforementioned Britain's Natural Environment Research Council above.
* The LMAHP *** gives Crossroads Mall a NR-17 rating due to it's immoral, unethical & false sense of healthful sex messages. ****
*** Leckband Moral Health Project. ****
**** Immoral, because the only godly, moral sexual relationships take place within a monogamous, heterosexual, marriage relationship; unethical, because the Adolescent Health Project speaks out of both sides of its hypocritical mouth, purporting to "want [adolescents] to use safe sex practices" while displaying wildly prurient condom dresses in public places where teens hang out; & unhealthy, because there's no empirical proof that encouraging teens to use condoms will in fact result in teens using condoms. The message of "safe sex" campaigns has been & always will be "we know you're going to have sex, so make sure it's a fun experience & use condoms, because they never fail, & you'll always remember to use them correctly in the heat of adolescent passion."

More Political Potpourri

Re:  The terrorist attacks in Brussels . . . According to our drive-by media, we should be most alarmed about . . . wait . . . what?  Check out this link.

I am so glad that our Fearless Leader is Willing To Take on Cuba . . . but I'm starting to feel fatigued, both mentally & physically, so check out this link, & do your own heavy lifting.

Re:  "He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named" . . . Those of you who follow me at least semi-regularly know that I put a lot of stock in Jonah Goldberg's partisan columns. Well, I'm partisan, too. I find myself rapidly losing stamina, so while I think I'm still thinking somewhat cogently, here's another reminder that it's still my blog & there's really no reason why you shouldn't check him out, because I promise that he makes more sense than most of your favorite pundits. Here's the link, I'm just sayin'.

Re:  "He-Who-Is-Deemed-Irrelevant" . . . Not in a million years do I think the DNC will allow anyone besides "She-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named" to get the Democratic nomination . . . Yeah, I think the fix has been on from the very beginning, but in a self-delusional, feeble effort to keep my blog "fair & balanced," why not check out this link . . . just to humor me?

Re:  "She-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named" . . . I am shocked, shocked I tell you . . . at this link from Brent Bozell! Yes, I know he is partisan. Yes, I am partisan, which you should very well know by know. Yes, I also know that daring you to check out my links is a highly questionable psychological gambit, given your presumably high level of reasoning skills * . . . but it's all I got. I started this entry before 8:00a this morning & it's now after 2:00p. I'm tired. I'm a little--maybe a lot--grouchy . . . & ready to be done. Maybe I'll treat myself to a pain pill soon?!
* Even if you're a millennial.