Devotions in preparation for Sunday:
Read Isaiah 50:4-9a. In verse 4, Isaiah shares his experience of waking up each morning with the word of God in his ear. For that to be true, he must have committed his first moments of each day to be listening. What is your morning routine? Where do your thoughts go in your waking moments? To what degree do you spend some time each morning listening for what God might be speaking to your heart? What might be helpful in creating space – physical or spiritual – for a morning ritual of listening?
Think of an awakening prayer to recite to yourself each morning upon waking. It may be a verse from scripture, like “May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer” or even more simply, “Here I am, Lord.”
Read Psalm 31:9-16. The 31st Psalm is a psalm of lament in which an individual cries out to God during great despair. Classical lament psalms follow a pattern: invocation, complaint, petition, words of trust, and expressions of praise. This psalm contains all five elements, but if you reread it carefully, you might notice that it doesn’t follow the pattern one after another. Instead, the elements of the lament are fluid, flowing back and forth.
That is how I experience sadness, despair, grief, or depression. In one moment, I am calling on God in an invocation. The next, I feel like I am moving on with words of trust, only to find myself back at complaint. Our emotions are messy. Some days are better than others and some days, we feel we are taking a step backwards. The psalm teaches us to trust in God in living and dying, to trust in God in health and sickness, and to trust in God in joy and sadness. The reading begins with, “Be gracious to me, oh Lord, for I am in distress.” God gets that. God understands that we can’t control our feelings. God understands that our emotions are not linear. God is always understanding and gracious. The real question is whether we are going to be gracious with ourselves when we feel we are taking a step backwards.
Read Philippians 2:5-11. In this familiar hymn of praise, Paul highlights humility as central to who Jesus was and is. This stands in stark contrast to the militant, powerful leaders of Roman times, as well as those of our own time. Who are the leaders we most celebrate? Where would you place them on the spectrum between pride and humility? What kind of leaders are we more likely to elect – those who exude confidence, power, and authority or those who value humility and would subject themselves to the people they serve, even to the point of death?
Jesus was sent to embody the very nature of God, which is, at its core, love, mercy, and compassion. Jesus, in a way no mere human could, lived out that mission to the point that those who felt threatened by his teaching and example decided he had to go. Even then, as he hung on the cross, he continued to love. “Father, forgive them.” How ready are you to place a greater value on humility and love for neighbor in terms of who you admire? Where, in your life, do you struggle with pride? How might humility and obedience to Jesus’ command to love God and neighbor affect your daily interactions and reactions?
In prayer, ask for the Holy Spirit to infuse you with the will to subject yourself to humility and love.
Read John 18:1-19:42. This reading takes us from Jesus’ betrayal by Judas to his death. Each step along the way highlights human sinfulness. As you read through the story, consider the sins of each character. Where do you see greed, violence, inaction, or indifference? Imagine yourself in the various scenes throughout the passage. In each, with whom do you most identify? When have you betrayed a loved one or a friend? When have you retaliated without thinking? When have you lied to protect yourself? When have you gotten caught up in mob mentality, connecting with others over a common perceived enemy?
Notice Jesus’ demeanor throughout his questioning by Annas, Caiaphas, and Pilate. He remains calm and committed to his mission, not striking back, not demeaning or belittling, not threatening. What does this teach us about the way of Jesus? In what ways do you feel called to imitate Jesus, especially in difficult or confrontational conversations?
Today, offer a prayer of confession for whatever sins you may have identified and find assurance in the promise of forgiveness.