Ash Wednesday

God On the Move Lenten Devotional                                                                   Ash Wednesday
                                                                            1 March
Stations of the Cross

Ever since Jesus died and rose again, believers have been finding ways to reflect on Jesus’ journey from the Last Supper, to the Cross, to the Empty Tomb. Some of the earliest Christians were able to visit these sites and reflect on Christ’s amazing sacrifice. Even today, people travel to Jerusalem to “walk in the footsteps of Christ.” Although an incredible experience, it’s not practical to make that kind of annual pilgrimage to honor Jesus. Instead, we may enter into each stop or station of Christ’s journey by bringing those images to our homes and churches.

This year, UALC is utilizing an illustrated version of the Stations of the Cross based on specific verses from the Gospels. They are designed to be interactive and spark conversation amongst us, so together we may appreciate and celebrate that He is risen. He is risen indeed!

Station 1: Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-41)

Jesus spent the night before He died with His friends at the Last Supper. He was very sad because He knew that one of His friends, Judas Iscariot, would tell lies about Him, and then turn Him over to be arrested. After dinner, Jesus took His three closest friends—Peter, James, and John—with Him to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. But Peter, James, and John couldn’t even stay awake with Jesus while He prayed.

Station 2: Jesus, Betrayed by Judas, is Arrested (Mark 14:43-46)

When you betray a friend you hurt them by telling a lie about them. Judas was one of the twelve apostles, and one of Jesus’ friends. But he also betrayed Jesus by lying to the priests and police about who Jesus was. The priests gave Judas thirty pieces of silver in return for betraying Jesus. While Jesus was praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, Judas showed the soldiers where He was. Because Judas told lies about Jesus, Jesus was arrested.

Read and reflect on the passages.

1. What do you notice about Jesus’ experience in the Garden of Gethsemane? Why does it drive Him to tears?

2. Jesus commanded His disciples, “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” What can we learn from this?

3. If Jesus is innocent of all sin, why was He arrested?

—david white

Drink Up

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

New International Version (NIV)
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

I was away from home for three days. During that time, three short days, no one was tending my garden.  The sun was shining every day and by the time I returned my flowers were wilted; one of them appeared so dried and shriveled I thought there was no hope to revive and restore it to the life and beauty of three days ago. It seemed the only recourse was to uproot it and toss it in the trash.

Aren't there days when we too, feel shriveled up?  Aren't there days when the intense heat of living has beaten down on us so long we say we can't take much more? Aren't there times we fear that without a break from life's oppression we will give in? 

Our scripture verses today point to our hope. These lines provide a hope and a new way to look at ourselves and our troubles. "Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day."  

When I saw my wilted plants, I did not toss them out, I grabbed the hose and gave them a deep drink of water.  This morning I can see life begin to revive the wilted stems.  I know that if I continue to give them refreshment, they will be restored. They will even be stronger.

Isn't this how God helps us too?  God, our Living Water, breathes new life into our dried up hearts. We may appear to be finished until we take a deep drink from this well of Living Water.

2 Corinthians 4:16-5:10

Luke 13:18-21

When Jesus walked the earth, he often used parables to teach. Those lessons of life are available to us today, within His word. These parables hold within them important messages for us that are not always easy to understand. The parable of the mustard seed and the yeast is brief. When I read it I see Jesus contemplating just how to verbalize his thoughts. Thinking deeply about his word choice, and making a visual in his head before he begins speaking. “Then Jesus asked, What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air perched in its branches.”

In Mark 4:30-32 the parable of the mustard seed is again mentioned. At the end of it however, Mark writes “With many similar parables, Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.” How awesome would that have been to be one of those who Jesus clarified his parables to! They often hold messages we do not see, because our understanding of God’s kingdom is like a mustard seed, so very small. It has the potential however, to grow into something bigger than we know, larger and richer than our brains can wrap around. Even as devoted Christ followers we are still unable to fathom what is to come….but we still try, and as we do, we grow and sprout branches.

Click here to view entire passage