Saturday of Holy Week

Remember these words we read at Christmas?

Luke 2: 34-35

34Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, 35so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too."

"And a sword will pierce your own soul too."

Do you think Mary is remembering these words this morning?

Do you think she knows exactly what Simeon meant now?

Do you think she feels like she too has been beaten and a big part of her died last night as she watched her Son take his last breath?

Did she pray this morning before she got out of bed..."Please God let that all have been just a terrible dream...Let my Son still be here with me."

What pain and sorrow she must have felt as she gets up and realizes it was no dream.

Tomorrow, Everyone will celebrate his rising from the dead...But today..

Jesus lies in a tomb.

No one will mourn him more today than the woman that gave birth to him.

The woman that picked him up when he would stumble and fall as a child.

The woman that laughed when he said something funny and the woman that would give him those "momma looks" when boys will be boys...

For last night..."A sword pierced her soul."

In the name of Mary's baby boy...

Amen....

Eye's Up!

Hebrews 10:24-25 (NIV)

²⁴ And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, ²⁵ not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

My girls and I try to do a nightly devo, just a small 5 minute reading and scripture that allows us to share the word together. We forget more than we should, and I’m often reminded how important it is to them when their opening prayer each time we DO it includes, “Dear Lord, please keep us doing this devotional each night…”

Last night’s devo was about when you are down and out and life just isn’t want you want it to be. Darkness is surrounding you or your depressed or your angry and just can’t seem to get out of the muck. The verse we read was the one above and I kept thinking – how is this going to tie together? I was grumbling in my head because I was exhausted and figured I’d have to tie it together for the writer, but God whispered hush and I did.

The theme of the devo was to encourage someone else – to forget about your situation and circumstances and instead to love and do for another. To shift your focus from your problems to someone else’s and reach out even though you don’t think you can. I read the other day that 90% of happy people all have 1 thing in common – they give to others.

Lift your eyes today and give someone else the encouragement that you need in your own life, and watch what a change in perspective will do to your ability to persevere and not give up.

“Set you mind on things above, not on earthly things.” Col 3:12