The Daily Lectionary for MONDAY, April 8, 2019

A Call to Persevere
Hebrews 10:19-25

The Daily Lectionary

MONDAY, April 8, 2019

(Revised Common Lectionary Year C)

Psalm 20

Prayer for Victory
To the leader. A Psalm of David.
1  The Lord answer you in the day of trouble!
     The name of the God of Jacob protect you!
2  May he send you help from the sanctuary,
     and give you support from Zion.
3  May he remember all your offerings,
     and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices.    Selah

4  May he grant you your heart’s desire,
     and fulfill all your plans.
5  May we shout for joy over your victory,
     and in the name of our God set up our banners.
   May the Lord fulfill all your petitions.

6  Now I know that the Lord will help his anointed;
     he will answer him from his holy heaven
     with mighty victories by his right hand.
7  Some take pride in chariots, and some in horses,
     but our pride is in the name of the Lord our God.
8  They will collapse and fall,
     but we shall rise and stand upright.

9  Give victory to the king, O Lord;
     answer us when we call.

Exodus 40:1-15

The Tabernacle Erected and Its Equipment Installed
40:1 The Lord spoke to Moses: 2 On the first day of the first month you shall set up the tabernacle of the tent of meeting. 3 You shall put in it the ark of the covenant, and you shall screen the ark with the curtain. 4 You shall bring in the table, and arrange its setting; and you shall bring in the lampstand, and set up its lamps. 5 You shall put the golden altar for incense before the ark of the covenant, and set up the screen for the entrance of the tabernacle. 6 You shall set the altar of burnt offering before the entrance of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting, 7 and place the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it. 8 You shall set up the court all around, and hang up the screen for the gate of the court. 9 Then you shall take the anointing oil, and anoint the tabernacle and all that is in it, and consecrate it and all its furniture, so that it shall become holy. 10 You shall also anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and consecrate the altar, so that the altar shall be most holy. 11 You shall also anoint the basin with its stand, and consecrate it. 12 Then you shall bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the tent of meeting, and shall wash them with water, 13 and put on Aaron the sacred vestments, and you shall anoint him and consecrate him, so that he may serve me as priest. 14 You shall bring his sons also and put tunics on them, 15 and anoint them, as you anointed their father, that they may serve me as priests: and their anointing shall admit them to a perpetual priesthood throughout all generations to come.

Hebrews 10:19-25

A Call to Persevere
10:19 Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Optional parts of the readings are set off in [square brackets.]

The Bible texts of the Old Testament, Epistle and Gospel lessons are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Church of Christ in the USA, and used by permission.

The Daily Lectionary is a three year cyclical lectionary. We are currently in Year C. Beginning with the first Sunday of Advent in 2019, we will be in Year A. The year which ended at Advent 2018 was Year B. These readings complement the Sunday and festival readings: Thursday through Saturday readings help prepare the reader for the Sunday ahead; Monday through Wednesday readings help the reader reflect and digest on what they heard in worship. Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, copyright © 2005 Consultation on Common Texts. www.commontexts.org
God's promises are like seeds planted in a "brown and empty" world. To the unbeliever, what seems so barren will one day be busting with life and beauty and joy. So don't give up on God, ever, even in the midst of your pain. Instead, Pray in faith, because you are forgiven. Persevere with hope, because God is faithful.

Verse of the Day for MONDAY, April 8, 2019

Romans 5:10 (NIV) For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!

Read all of Romans 5

Listen to Romans 5

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Daily Devotions with Chaplain Kenny - THE CASE OF MARGARET AULT

THE CASE OF MARGARET AULT

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.

~ Hebrews 10:23 (NIV)

In his book, The Jesus Creed, Scot McKnight shares the moving story of Margaret Ault. When Margaret was just about to complete her Ph.D. at Duke, something unexpected -- but quite welcomed -- happened: she fell in love. She went on a date with a man named Hyung Goo Kim, and the proverbial sparks flew. But almost as quickly as the sparks became a fire, they were doused with water. Hyung Goo informed Margaret that he was HIV positive. Needless to say, Margaret was devastated. In her own words, "I'd just met someone I liked, and we were definitely not going to live happily ever after. I felt like I had been kicked in the gut by the biggest boot in the world."

Still, she and Hyung Goo were married. In his book McKnight asks the question many of us would ask: "Why would anyone invite into the core of their being so much pain?" He then goes on to share that the answer unfolds in the rest of Margaret and Hyung Goo's story. He writes:

"When Margaret was in graduate school at Duke, she and Hyung Goo loved to walk in the Duke gardens, and so knowledgeable did they become of its plants that they 'supervised construction' of a new project. They walked through each part of the garden routinely and had names for some of the ducks. In their last spring together, the garden seemed especially beautiful [to them]."

Hyung Goo died in the fall and Margaret returned to the gardens in the spring where a memorial garden of roses was being constructed in his honor. In her book, Sing Me to Heaven, Margaret reflects on the days she returned to the gardens. She writes:

"Where peonies were promised, there were only the dead stumps of last year's stalks; where day lilies were promised, there were unprepossessing tufts of foliage; where hostas were promised, there was nothing at all. And yet I know what lushness lay below the surface; those beds that were so brown and empty and, to the unknowing eye, so unpromising, would be full to bursting in a matter of months.

Then she asks, "Is the whole world like this? Is this what it might be like to live in expectation, real expectation, of the resurrection? Was not Hyung Goo's and my life together like this? Empty and sere, and yet a seedbed of fullness and life for both of us. He died, and I was widowed; yet in his dying, we both were made alive." (Scot McKnight, The Jesus Creed, Paraclete Press, 2005, pp. 286-288)

How did Margaret find such hope in the midst of her pain? Well, she refused to focus on the deadness around her. Instead, she focused on the promise of life.

You see, God's promises are like seeds planted in a "brown and empty" world. To the unbeliever, what seems so barren will one day be busting with life and beauty and joy. So don't give up on God, ever, even in the midst of your pain. Instead, Pray in faith, because you are forgiven. Persevere with hope, because God is faithful.

Father, we bless and thank You for a brand new day and for the fresh opportunities and challenges that this day will bring. Thank You that Your mercies are new every morning and I pray that I will walk worthy of You today and be a faithful witness in thought, word and deed.. demonstrating a Christ-like attitude to all with whom I come in contact.

Keep me ever-focussed on You Lord and keep my heart steadfastly trusting You for all my needs and necessities. Help me not to function in my own strength, but in the power of the Holy Spirit. May I stand firm in the truth of the gospel of grace and remain steadfastly looking to Jesus - trusting in Him to supply His sufficient strength for all occasions. Teach me all that You would have me to learn today and give me the courage and strength to press on toward the goal for the upward call in Christ Jesus.. so that I may win the heavenly prize, which God, in Christ, is calling me to do – in Jesus name I pray, Amen.

In Jesus,
Chaplain Kenny

Seeking God?
Click HERE to find out more about how to have a personal
relationship with Jesus Christ.
Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Un dia a la Vez - La edad dorada

La edad dorada

Corona de honra es la vejez, que se halla en el camino de justicia.

~ Proverbios 16:31 (RV-60)

Me gusta mucho cuando se habla de la edad dorada, pues dan la idea de las experiencias maravillosas en la vida.

Hoy quizá seas tú esa persona de la tercera edad que se siente triste y solitaria. A lo mejor tu familia te dejó en un hogar para viejitos y de vez en cuando te visitan y a veces te llaman. La soledad en esta etapa de la vida es una de las razones que más lleva a la depresión.

En este día, Dios quiere decirte que no estás sola ni solo aunque pases días sin saber de tu familia. Tal vez te encuentres en tu casa viendo pasar los días y, en muchos casos, sin poder salir siquiera porque tu salud no lo permite o porque ya hasta conducir un auto es un problema para ti.

Hoy Dios te dice que Él está contigo, que eres más que una hermosa joya para Él y que es tu compañía. Refúgiate en Dios.

Ante esto, las preguntas que caben son las siguientes: ¿Qué estamos haciendo tú y yo por ellos? ¿Cómo estamos ayudando a nuestros viejitos, empezando por casa? ¿Cómo los tratamos? ¿Sabías que después del abuso infantil el abuso a las personas mayores está en segundo lugar? Lo más triste de todo es son víctimas de sus propios familiares.

La Palabra nos enseña que las canas son sabiduría y merecen todo el respeto.

Por lo tanto, honro hoy a las personas de la edad dorada.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
Hoy quizá seas tú esa persona de la tercera edad que se siente triste y solitaria. A lo mejor tu familia te dejó en un hogar para viejitos y de vez en cuando te visitan y a veces te llaman.

Standing Strong Through the Storm - WOUNDS FOR CHRIST

WOUNDS FOR CHRIST

The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.

~ Acts 5:41 (NIV)

Today’s devotional comes from Ron Boyd-MacMillan’s excellent volume Faith That Endures:

The Biblical scholar William Barclay famously described a New Testament Christian as having three remarkable characteristics: “One, they were absurdly happy; two, they were filled with an irrational love for everyone; and three, they were always in trouble!”

Persecuted Christians are constantly in trouble. As a Palestinian pastor put it, “If you speak truth to power, power always reacts.” An encounter with the persecuted reveals the incendiary nature of this gospel we follow, and if our witness does not provoke some sort of explosive reaction, we have to check whether our gospel powder is damp or dry. We should be in trouble for Jesus! If we aren’t, something is wrong…

Persecuted Christians are not tempted into the illusion that the world is actually a friendly place that does not mind our identifying with Christ. The world for them is unmasked in its hostility to Christ.

Once when visiting Czechoslovakia in the 1980’s, I delivered a Bible to an elderly pastor. He had not seen a Bible in years. He smelled it, kissed it with trembling lips, cradled it, and then with great reverence, opened it. Then he turned to me and said, “Let me tell you of my wounds.” And he poured out his trials for God, which included seven beatings by the secret police and the awful seduction of his daughter by a government agent who then fooled her into betraying him. Then he turned to me, his eyes boring into my soul, and asked, “What wounds have you for the Master?” I was embarrassed to have so few to share.

The questions of the persecuted church are simple: Are you in trouble for Jesus? Where are your wounds? If you don’t have any, maybe you’ve forgotten you’re in a fight at all. Whatever culture we are in, we are always being subtly coerced into spending our money, or time, on what is not of Christ. Persecution afflicts us all if we stand up for Christ. The world, the flesh, and the devil will never reach an accommodation with Christ. Like it or not, we are caught up in cosmic warfare. The gospel has landed us in it. We will all be scarred by the battle. We will all experience persecution. The difference is only one of degree and type.[1]

RESPONSE: Today I will evaluate my life and assess what are my wounds for Christ. I will then rejoice in suffering for Jesus.

PRAYER: Lord, I submit to Your Lordship over my life and accept whatever wounds You will enable me to bear for Your sake and the gospel’s.

1. Ronald Boyd-MacMillan, Faith That Endures (Grand Rapids: Fleming Revell, 2006), pp. 322-323.

Standing Strong Through The Storm (SSTS), a daily devotional message by SSTS author Paul Estabrooks. © 2011 Open Doors International. Used by permission.

Women of the Bible - Delilah

Delilah

Her name means: "Dainty One"

Her character: A prostitute whose nationality is unknown, she used her beauty to betray her lover and enrich herself.
Her sorrow: That Samson lied to her, making her look foolish on three different occasions.
Her joy: That she overpowered one of history's most powerful men, handing him over to his enemy, the Philistines.
Key Scriptures: Judges 16:4-22

Her Story

Her teeth gleamed white in the dusky light as a smile parted lips soft and smooth as a scarlet ribbon. Earrings glinted gold as she threw back her head and laughed out loud. Fortune had come knocking on her door that day. No lover had ever paid Delilah as well as Samson would.

The Philistine kings hated the long-haired strongman who had set their fields afire and slain a thousand of their countrymen. Each had offered Delilah an incredible sum—eleven hundred shekels of silver! She had merely to deliver the secret of Samson's strength. His would be no match for hers, a strength born of beauty and schooled in the arts of love. Weakened by passion, he would tell her everything she needed to know.

"If anyone ties me with seven fresh thongs that have not been dried, I'll become as any other man," he replied to her persistent probing. Hiding a few Philistines in the room for good measure, Delilah waited until he slept and then carefully wrapped him with the thongs and exclaimed, "Samson, the Philistines are upon you!" But he had outsmarted her, snapping the cords as his enemies fled.

Like a man toying with a kitten, Samson repeated the ruse twice, tricking Delilah with crazy stories about new ropes and braided hair. Finally Delilah confronted him, "How can you say, 'I love you,' when you won't confide in me? This is the third time you have made a fool of me and haven't told me the secret of your great strength." Worn down by her nagging, Samson gave in.

"No razor has ever been used on my head," he confided, "because I have been a Nazirite set apart to God since birth. If my head were shaved, my strength will leave me, and I will become as weak as any other man." Years earlier, before his birth, an angel had instructed his mother that he should drink no wine, touch nothing unclean, and never cut his hair. He was to be dedicated to God in a special way, destined to play a great role in God's plan to free his people from their Philistine overlords. A strong man unable to subdue his own tempestuous nature, Samson had already broken the first two stipulations of his vow. Now he was about to break the third, preferring the good graces of a woman to the favor of his God.

Sensing she had heard the truth at last, Delilah sent word to the Philistines. After cutting his hair while he slept, she once again called, "Samson, the Philistines are upon you!" This time Samson awoke from his sleep unable to resist his enemies, who quickly seized him, gouging out his eyes. Then they imprisoned him in Gaza, where he spent his days in darkness, performing women's work grinding grain.

That's the last we hear of the lovely, treacherous, and now wealthy Delilah, but not the last we hear of her lover. Slowly Samson's hair began to grow back, first a short cap to warm his head and then a cover for his ears. What harm can a blind man do us? the Philistines must have reasoned.

One day they held a great celebration in honor of Dagon, god of the harvest, for delivering Samson into their hands. Oblivious to their danger, they brought him out of prison to make sport of their once-mighty enemy. But when Samson stood among the pillars of their temple, he prayed, "O Sovereign Lord, remember me. O God, please strengthen me just once more, and let me with one blow get revenge on the Philistines for my two eyes." Then he braced himself against the two central pillars of the temple and pushed. The roof buckled and collapsed, and Samson and his enemies were buried together under its rubble. By his death, Samson killed more Philistines than he had in life. Just as the angel had predicted, Samson had begun a work of deliverance that David would complete many years later.

The strange story of Samson and Delilah is hardly edifying. It's tempting to conclude that the selfish, ill-disciplined Samson had finally met his match in the greedy Delilah. A visitation by an angel, the gift of supernatural strength, a prophetic destiny—such obvious blessings could not assure Samson's devotion. Why would God use such a man, enabling him to become a judge in Israel? What a contrast to Deborah, who had ruled Israel a century earlier! Perhaps God had little promising material to choose from, given the state of his people during an era of Israel's history where "everyone did as he saw fit" (Judges 21:25).

If anything, Delilah's role in this sordid tale assures us that God will use anything and anyone to accomplish his purpose. Even our sin. Even our enemies. Our deliverance is purely a matter of grace. But how much better if we become people set apart for his service, whose inner strengths match our outer strengths, enabling us to live out our destiny assured of God's pleasure.

Her Promise

Even the sordid story of Delilah and her Hebrew lover, Samson, conveys an important truth: God loves us and will not abandon us even when we make mistakes, even when we sin. Over and over throughout the biblical narrative, we see God using people who are great sinners, people who are less than perfect, people who through their own folly fail and only then recognize their need of him. He didn't abandon people like Samson, foolish and sinful though he was, and he won't abandon us, foolish and sinful though we might be.

This devotional is drawn from Women of the Bible: A One-Year Devotional Study of Women in Scripture by Ann Spangler and Jean Syswerda. Used with permission.
Even the sordid story of Delilah and her Hebrew lover, Samson, conveys an important truth: God loves us and will not abandon us even when we make mistakes, even when we sin.

Girlfriends in God - The Gift of Giving (Part 2)

The Gift of Giving

Part 2

Mary Southerland

Today’s Truth

 I will provide for their needs before they ask, and I will help them while they are still asking for help.

~ Isaiah 65:24 (NCV)

Friend to Friend

Despite a very shaky start, the weekend could not have gone any better! (If you have not read the previous devotion, stop where you are. Go back and read it … now!)

Dan and I finally made it to Greensburg for my speaking event and checked into our hotel only to discover that the air conditioning in our room did not work.

I. Did. Not. Care.

I was so tired that I literally climbed into bed and pleaded with my sweet husband to just deal with it. He did. I vaguely remember the maintenance man kicking the air conditioning unit in our room, and the unit coming to life. Go God!

And God was all over the event from beginning to end. I totally forgot about my hurting back the minute I began to speak. Every time I gave an invitation, women flooded the aisles. I talked and prayed with woman after woman … all seeking God and His power to redeem, heal, and restore. It was an amazing day!

I even managed to forget about the fact that this “free” event had gouged an unexpected hole in our finances. I shakily chose to trust God.

The next day I spoke for the church where my friend and her husband pastor. I noticed her look of concern when I hobbled in and assured her that I would be fine. I then turned to Dan and quietly pleaded, “Do you have a sermon in your pocket?” He smiled and said, “You’ve got this, honey.” I did not care for his faith in me at that moment. But when I got up to speak, God did indeed come through again. It was a precious service and a time of eternal business with God.

On the way home, Dan and I talked and laughed about the whole weekend … from the minute we stepped up to the airport counter … to the air going out in his truck and that funny little auto parts store. We then celebrated all that God had done in the lives of the people who came to hear His Word and were forever changed through His power.

“Oh, did you check your money pouch?” Dan asked. I had honestly not even thought about it. I had only brought a minimum number of books and CDs to sell and really did not expect much.

And that was my problem - my pitiful expectations - my meager faith.

We serve a God who can do a whole lot when we expect Him to. When I counted the money, I could not believe it. We had just enough to cover all of our expenses for the whole weekend! We partied all the way home!

But there is more.

When we got home, pulled in our driveway, and opened the garage door, Dan said, “Uh, honey, I think you need to go in the garage.”

Now that was strange. Dan had just told me to stay put while he unloaded the truck and opened the door. Yes … I had a frozen bag of peas that still had a little life left in it. But I got out of the truck and went in the garage and promptly started screaming!

There sat a 2004 silver Honda Pilot. The car was in mint condition. The dealership papers said it had new tires, a new transmission, and a new timing belt. The car was a lease and had been perfectly maintained. And it had a third row … big enough for all of our grandchildren!

The note on the windshield said it was a gift from the men in Dan’s fireside group. Three months earlier, they had noticed the absence of my old car and asked Dan about it. That’s all.

And now the note read, “It is unacceptable for our pastor’s wife to not have a car. We want you to know how much we love you.” And there were no names except for the one man who had to title the car. I had no idea who to thank.

Oh, but I did.

My Father had worked through the willing hearts of some precious men to meet a need in my life. So I named the car Gracie. And every time I get behind the wheel of Gracie, I am reminded that no matter how hard we try, we simply cannot out-give God.

I want to live my life with open hands, dusty feet, calloused knees, and rolled-up sleeves. I want to be a generous giver. I may not have much money, but I can give what I have. I can give my time and energy … my love and concern … a listening ear and a caring heart. I can give my life.

Let’s Pray

Father, Giver of every good and perfect gift, teach me how to give. Help me see those in need and be quick to meet their needs. I choose to crucify myself in order to give in such a way that pleases and honors You. Thank You for the privilege of giving.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn

Choose now to become a generous giver. Ask God to show you a person in need … and then show you how to meet that need. I would love to hear your “Giving Story” this week. Email me: mary@marysoutherland.com

More from the Girlfriends

Do you want to grow in your ability to trust God? Get Mary’s E-Book, 10-Day Trust Adventure.

Be sure to check out the FREE MP3s on Mary’s website and connect with Mary through E-mail, Twitter, Instagram, Shopify, or on Facebook.

Seeking God?

Click HERE to find out more about how to have a personal

relationship with Jesus Christ.

Girlfriends in God

www.girlfriendsingod.com

Despite a very shaky start, the weekend could not have gone any better!

LHM Daily Devotions - CARRYING THE CROSS

"CARRYING THE CROSS"

Apr. 8, 2019

And they compelled a passerby, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry His cross.

~ Mark 15:21 (ESV)

Simon of Cyrene is an interesting man. It appears he was a foreigner from Cyrene, a place in Libya, but we have no way of knowing whether he was a Jew by birth or a Gentile convert. He was probably visiting Jerusalem for the Passover celebration. Mark says he was coming in from the country, which might mean he was camping outside the crowded city during the holidays.

Simon was on his way somewhere else when he saw Jesus stumbling under the cross. He wasn't there to watch the procession to Golgotha—chances are Simon had no idea men were going to be executed that day. He just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. And so the Roman soldiers, realizing Jesus wasn't going to make it without help, grabbed Simon. "Here, you," they must have said, "grab this and follow Him!"

Simon couldn't get out of it. What, carry a bloody, shameful cross through the streets of Jerusalem? No doubt everybody would think that he was the condemned man! But the soldiers wouldn't listen to any arguments. They had the right to force him, and they did. Simon carried Jesus' cross.

It probably wasn't that long before Simon himself became a Christian. Mark tells us the names of his children, which means they were probably well-known in the Christian church. If so, that means the Holy Spirit Himself said to Simon and his family the same thing the soldiers would have said the first time: "Here, take up this cross and follow Jesus." That command—that honor—is repeated every time another person comes to faith.

Every one of us who loves Jesus learns what it means to carry the cross—to follow after Him—to be exposed to shame and mistreatment for His sake. Some of our brothers and sisters learn this in very graphic ways, as they suffer persecution at the hands of those who hate Christ. For others of us, it comes in more subtle ways. But however it comes, we endure it knowing that if we carry Jesus' cross, it is because He Himself has carried our cross first, suffering, dying—and rising again!—for our sake. Because He loves us.

THE PRAYER: Thank You, Lord Jesus, for carrying our cross for us. Amen.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS:

• When have you had to do a job you really didn't want to do?

• Who (besides Jesus!) has helped you by "carrying your cross" in some way?

• Does it make it easier to suffer, knowing that Jesus has suffered for and with you? Why or why not?

Lenten Devotions were written by Dr. Kari Vo. Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
When have you had to do a job you really didn't want to do?

Devocional de la CPTLN del 08 de Abril de 2019 - Llevando la cruz

ALIMENTO DIARIO

Llevando la cruz

08 de Abril de 2019

A uno que volvía del campo y que pasaba por allí lo obligaron a llevar la cruz. Ese hombre se llamaba Simón de Cirene, y era padre de Alejandro y de Rufo.

~ Marcos 15:21 (RVC)

Simón de Cirene iba de paso cuando vio a Jesús tropezando bajo el peso de la cruz. Él no estaba allí para ver la procesión al Gólgota: lo más probable es que no tuviera ni idea que ese día habría ejecuciones. Simplemente estuvo en el lugar equivocado en el momento equivocado. "Aquí, tú", deben haberle dicho los soldados romanos, "¡toma esta cruz y síguelo!"

Simón no tuvo escapatoria. ¿Qué, llevar una cruz sangrienta y vergonzosa por las calles de Jerusalén para que todos pensaran que él era el condenado? Pero los soldados no escucharon ningún argumento. Tenían el derecho de forzarlo y lo hicieron. Y así, Simón llevó la cruz de Jesús.

Probablemente no pasó mucho tiempo antes de que Simón se volviera cristiano. Marcos menciona los nombres de sus hijos, lo que significa que eran conocidos en la iglesia cristiana. Si es así, el Espíritu Santo le habrá dicho a Simón y su familia lo mismo que los soldados le habían dicho la primera vez: ¡"Toma esta cruz y sigue a Jesús"! Ese mandato, ese honor, se repite cada vez que una persona se convierte a la fe cristiana.

Quienes amamos a Jesús aprendemos lo que significa llevar la cruz, seguirlo, exponerse a la vergüenza y los malos tratos por su causa. Algunos de nuestros hermanos aprenden esto de manera muy gráfica, cuando sufren persecución a manos de quienes odian a Cristo. Otro lo experimentan de maneras más sutiles. Pero todos lo soportamos sabiendo que, si llevamos la cruz de Jesús, es porque él ha llevado primero la nuestra al sufrir, morir y resucitar por nosotros. Y todo porque nos ama.

ORACIÓN: Gracias, Señor Jesús, por llevar nuestra cruz por nosotros. Amén.

PREGUNTAS DE REFLEXIÓN:

• ¿Quién (además de Jesús) te ha ayudado "llevando tu cruz" de alguna manera?

• ¿Te es más fácil sufrir sabiendo que Jesús ha sufrido por ti y contigo? ¿Por qué sí o por qué no?

© Copyright 2019 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones. Que a través de estos devocionales, la Palabra de Dios te refresque en tu diario caminar.
¿Quién (además de Jesús) te ha ayudado "llevando tu cruz" de alguna manera?

Notre Pain Quotidien - Des victoires inattendues

Des victoires inattendues

Lisez : Matthieu 19.17-30

La Bible en un an : 1 Samuel 10 – 12 ; Luc 9.37-62

Plusieurs des premiers seront les derniers. V. 30

Il se peut que le moment le plus inouï et captivant des Jeux olympiques d’hiver de 2018 ait été celui où la Tchèque Ester Ledecka, championne du monde en planche à neige, a remporté une compétition dans une tout autre discipline : le ski ! Elle a remporté l’or même si elle avait le désavantage de s’élancer 26e – un exploit que l’on jugeait pratiquement impossible.

Étonnamment, Ledecka s’est qualifiée pour participer au super-G féminin, un événement combinant la descente et le slalom géant. Après l’avoir remporté par 0,01 seconde sur des skis empruntés, elle s’en est étonnée autant que les médias et les autres participants, qui avaient tous présumé que ce serait l’une des meilleures skieuses qui le gagnerait.

Ainsi vont les choses. Nous présumons que les gagnants continueront de gagner et que tous les autres perdront. Les disciples de Jésus ont donc eu un choc en l’entendant dire combien il est difficile à « un riche d’entrer dans le royaume des cieux » (MT 19.23). Jésus a inversé toute chose. En quoi le fait d’être riche (un gagnant) pouvait-il être un obstacle ? Il semblerait que, si nous comptons sur ce que nous avons (nos capacités, notre identité), il nous est non seulement difficile, mais encore impossible, de compter sur Dieu.

Le royaume de Dieu n’obéit pas à nos règles : « Plusieurs des premiers seront les derniers, et plusieurs des derniers seront les premiers » (V. 30). Que nous soyons les premiers ou les derniers, c’est par pure grâce, une faveur non méritée, que Dieu nous accorde quoi que ce soit.

Dans le royaume de Dieu, victoires et défaites s’inversent.

par Winn Collier

© 2019 Ministères NPQ
Il se peut que le moment le plus inouï et captivant des Jeux olympiques d’hiver de 2018 ait été celui où la Tchèque Ester Ledecka, championne du monde en planche à neige, a remporté une compétition dans une tout autre discipline : le ski !

Un dia a la Vez - Dios te regala un nuevo día hoy

Dios te regala un nuevo día hoy

Bendito sea el Señor, nuestro Dios y Salvador, que día tras día sobrelleva nuestras cargas.

~ Salmo 68:19 (NVI)

¿Por qué será que no todos los días nos levantamos igual con Dios?

Si en la gran mayoría de los casos conocemos su Palabra, sabemos que nos ama y que hoy ha preparado un día lleno de oportunidades para nosotros.

Sé que las circunstancias que estás viviendo te roban la paz y el gozo. No obstante, cuando estamos en contacto diario con nuestro Dios, ya sea orando aunque sea un rato cada día, y leyendo su Palabra, encontramos sus promesas.

Estas promesas te dan la certeza de caminar por fe. Te permiten dar por sentado que aunque amanezcas sin un quinto en el bolsillo, andes cansado porque el dinero no te alcanza y otras muchas cosas que llegan a la vida, Dios es un Padre que, ante todo, nunca miente. De modo que si te regaló un nuevo amanecer, es porque te ama y ya tiene predestinado que estuvieras en pie.

¡Ánimo! Recuerda que aunque la tormenta es fuerte, Dios es mayor que tu problema.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
¿Por qué será que no todos los días nos levantamos igual con Dios?