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Day 18: John 18/Psalm 36
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Saturday March 13, 2004
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A Really
Bad Day
Think back for a moment on a day that went really poorly for you. Maybe
you started off having a bad hair day, and then on your way to work you
had a flat tire. Once you arrived at work your boss called you into his
office and told you that because of downsizing, your position was being
eliminated and you were being laid off. As you head for home, the
person behind you is not looking and they rear-end you. Now that
is a bad day.
In John 18, Jesus
was also having a really bad day. After spending time in prayer, one of
His twelve disciples gave Him up to the police and religious leaders.
The other eleven men basically deserted Him. Then Jesus was bound up
and taken to high ranking officials. During His arrest, one of His
closest friends denied even knowing Him. At His “trial,” He was falsely
accused of being a criminal by those who had seen Him perform miracles.
And then the Jewish community requested that Jesus be crucified while a
real criminal was released!
How could Jesus
keep going? What was it that caused Him to remain steadfast and not
give up? I think we are given two nuggets in John 18 that give us
insight. First, Jesus is assured that what is happening to Him is in
the Father’s plan. “Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?”
was Jesus' reply to Peter as Peter tried to protect Jesus by cutting
off the ear of the high priest’s servant. Jesus knew that no matter
what the circumstances, just or unjust, it was all part of God’s plan
for Him. The second nugget we find is in Jesus’ response to the Roman
governor Pilate, “for this reason I was born, and for this I came into
the world...” Jesus knew His life’s purpose. He knew that His reason
for living (and dying!) was to point people to God and to live out
God’s truths to those around Him. It was those realizations that kept
Jesus going in the face of all odds--the worst of all days.
One of my favorite quotes comes from Corrie Ten Boom who said, “Every
experience God gives us, every person He puts in our lives, is
preparation for the future only He can see.”
Today’s
Prayer:
Dear Jesus, help me today to see that everything that comes into my
path is from you. Use every situation and every person that I come into
contact with to make me more like you. I also ask that you would help
me to know your purpose for my life. Don’t let me miss any opportunity
that you are giving me. In your name I pray…
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Memory Verse of the Week:
“If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you
wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father's glory, that
you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”
John 15:7-8 (New International Version)
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For a complete
listing of all the previous devotionals in this "50 Day
Experience," click here.
To read the chapter or psalm of the day online, click on one of the
following links:
o
John
18
o
Psalm
36
Dana Cochran, dcochran@cincyvineyard.com,
Director of Connecting Ministries at VCC
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