Fourth Week of Lent ~ Wednesday

When was your lowest moment? When did you feel the most alone?

Were you forsaken by all your friends? Was your body hurt and your clothes sold? Did the people watching in scorn and mock you? Did they bring you to doubt your God because of what they saw?

This Psalm, although written 1000’s of years ago, is a reflection of what Jesus endured on the cross. It cost Him everything before it also cost Him His entire life.

- Read Psalm 22

If you can, read this in the Message translation

- Devotional Thought

​Though it may cost you all you have in the worldly sense. Even your hardest moment doesn’t take him out of what you are facing. Your hardest moment brings you closer to Him because He has been right there for you before.

It might not be easy to praise in the middle of your trial, but that’s exactly what we are called to do. We are called to live our praises in the trial. And you know what? That’s when they become the most real. That’s when others would look to us as we praise and ask ‘why’ and ‘how’ do they do that? They will be amazing and awakened to the possibility of real joy and real life when trouble comes.

And just like this psalm was written for Jesus’ time of cruxifixion, there is a story written for your most trialling moment. It doesn’t sound very good but it is..., why? Because it shows that God has and will continue to equip and prepare you for that very moment, just like He did with JESUS.

But when they see how you walked through your trial, they will admire the one that you were leaning on, they will see that your faith was rooted and steadfast despite what you were going through. That the thing about praise, it’s at its most effective when things aren’t going great.... Praise is at its most effective when it’s a real sacrifice of praise.

- Passage to focus on 

​“Here’s the story I’ll tell my friends when they come to worship, and punctuate it with Hallelujahs: Shout Hallelujah, you God-worshipers; give glory, you sons of Jacob; adore him, you daughters of Israel. He has never let you down, never looked the other way when you were being kicked around. He has never wandered off to do his own thing; he has been right there, listening.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭22‬:‭22‬-‭24‬ ‭MSG‬‬

- Image for today 

Nothing has ever been more painful and yet more beautiful than the cross. I can't imagine what is must have been like for the followers of Jesus to watch Him carry that cross up Golgotha. And yet we look back at that moment with such thankfulness. That's what a sacrifice of praise does, it turns the ugly into beautiful.

- Prayer 

Father God,

You are a good God and we know that nothing we go through will deter our thoughts on who you are to us. We pray for the strength to contine to lean on you even when people don't treat us well. Thank you for modelling a life of love regardless of circumstances for us.

- Active idea

We know that Jesus has already carried the cross that was the weight of our sins and burdens. And yet we all face times when we cling to what we should let go of.

Today, write down all the things you have been holding onto that Jesus has already paid the price for!

Thank you for joining me today! Hope to see you again soon!

Have a blessed Lent

~ X ~