Standing Ready for Jesus

Lenten Midweek Devotion

Read 1 Thessalonians 5:1-10

I remember a time of waiting on the Lord’s arrival. Praying and wishing I could mark the day He would arrive to escort my sweet mom through heavens gates.

In the months leading up to my mother’s death, she lived in our home. It was a rich and very challenging time, as I had two kids and a husband. Mom was on hospice, so I had multiple weekly visitors who attended mom and kept tabs on me too. 

My mom held a deep faith, having received Christ when she was twelve years old. She talked openly about being ready to see her Savior face to face. She also talked about getting to see her mom, who died tragically when she was only eight years old. She would tell of watching her mother being baptized wearing a long white dress, when mom was very young. She knew without a doubt that their reunion would be in heaven. 

My Joe, Josh and Tori loved my mom as much as I did. No one wanted her to leave us, but with failing health, and her desire to see her mother, my dad (her husband), and her longing to stand in the Lord’s presence, we prayed for His angels to come. 

In today’s scripture, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-10, we are challenged with the realization we will not know when Christ is returning, but as believers, we need to remain prepared and alert. Our victory is knowing that if we have salvation in Him, we will live with Him, whenever He arrives. 

My mom, in her dying days, knew where she was heading, and taught us all that the wait for Christ’s return is worth it. Can you say the same? Are you ready?

Peggy Valentino 

Love Rescue Me

Midweek Meditation                                                                                Read Galatians 5:1-6

Love rescue me, for without You there is no hope. Before You set foot inside my heart it lay chained to sin and death. Now, bought by blood, won by wounds, I’ve been ransomed, and the end is set, safe, sure. Sublime, serene, certain. Yet, here I am. Here I am.

The chains are broken and the door ajar, but some days I have trouble leaving the cell. Other days I just exchange one set of shackles for another. It is so easy to confuse who I am with who I was, who You are with who I caricature You to be. And I don’t understand what I do. Love rescue me.

Yes, You rescued me! I am freed from sin, freed from law, and saved to serve. Help me cling to Your grace, embrace the freedom You’ve given me, and release to You the burdens You’ve claimed from me.

Putting myself aside, for peace and people, and their salvation will You work in me?  Yes, I know You will do it. Remind me that this faith expressed through anything other than love is for the birds. Lord, let Your love continue to rescue me.

                                                      Jon Gerckens

What Did You Do to Deserve This? Nothing!

Midweek Meditation                 Deuteronomy 7:6,    Ephesians 2:6-10

Someone gives you a gift. Do you say, “I don’t deserve this, why would you choose me?” or “How much do I owe you for this gift?” Hopefully not. Hopefully your response is a simple, sincere “Thank you.”

Deuteronomy 7:6 –…The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be His people, His treasured possession.

Ephesians 2:8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.

You have been given the most extraordinary gift - chosen by God and given His grace, the gift of salvation. You may wonder why…what did you do that was so extraordinary He chose you to be His treasured child? Did your hard work and kind acts earn you enough “points” to receive His grace? Absolutely not! There is nothing you can do to make God choose you and you can’t buy or earn His grace. Grace is a truly free gift.

It’s often hard for us to believe that God would handpick us for such gifts, but He did. Take time to think about that truth – though you did nothing to deserve it, God chose you and gifted you with His grace. Take that in deeply, believe it, own it…then respond to the Sovereign One with gratitude, praise, and joy!

Becki Bork

What is your diagnosis?

Midweek Meditation Read: Romans 3:9-18

How did reading these verses make you feel? Did you want to shut this book because the message seems too harsh?

Don’t we have the same reaction when we look in the mirror? We want to look away, ignore the lines on our faces or the extra weight around our bellies.

Don’t we avoid the doctor or ignore the doctor’s advice when we are told to make some changes? It is so much easier to pretend that we are just fine.

We are not fine. Things are not as they should be. We all are self-centered and headed down a path of destruction.

We need to hear the truth from God. He lovingly strips off the masks and shines the light into our deepest, darkest secrets. Why? Because He wants to expose what needs healing.

Today when you peer into the mirror, hear Him say, “Look again. See the face of Jesus looking back at you. He clothes you with His righteousness.”

As your Great Physician, He says, “I came to diagnose and eradicate your deadly disease with My blood, to restore you. You are safe in My arms.”

Prayer: Lord, you see the sin sick person I am, on a path of destruction. Thank You for seeing me as I am in JESUS, washed clean, rescued, and restored, clothed in His righteousness alone!

Mary McGinnis