Holy week devotionals

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Sunday – ‘there are no words’

There are no words. Mary and the others walk silently to the tomb carrying their spices, preparing for another agonizing moment. Not even sure how they would get in, Jesus’ body must be prepared for it’s eternal rest in his tomb. Just some 36 hours ago, they had walked these same roads in horror, and stood shocked and in awe outside the stone they now expected to see. The reality was setting in. He was gone now, and life would…

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Saturday – ‘a world unsettled’

Unsettled. That’s the word to describe the world today. Jesus is gone. The King is dead, and there is nowhere to turn and nothing to do. Word has reached those who ran, and while they struggle with the guilt of ‘is there something I could’ve done,’ there is much more an overarching fear of ‘am I going to be next. The few who had stayed to witness the carnage, have taken his body and buried it in the tomb of…

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Good Friday – ‘ a crown for a king’

They made him a crown. Of all the things that were meant to be humiliating, of all the insults, of all the things they could have done - they made him a crown. Most thorns are made to protect, to keep predators away from the plant and keep it safe. Make no mistake, these thorns were not meant to protect, they were meant to hurt. Not only the flesh that they pieced, but the heart of the man that wore…

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Thursday – ‘a not so silent night’

Dinner parties are supposed to be fun. People dress up and gather together over great food and perhaps some wine, to catch up, tell stories, and enjoy one another’s company. Tonight will not be that kind of party. Tonight is a night where the story of the world is changing. Jesus will give his final instructions. He will tell his friends that not only is one of them going to deny him, another about to betray him, but he will…

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Wednesday – ‘a line in the sand’

You can never say he didn’t try to warn them. He has been telling them for the better part of three years now; “eventually, it’s going to become unpopular to hang out with me. Soon enough people are going to ask you if you’re with me or against me. At some point I’m not going to be around anymore - and you’re going to have some decisions to make about me and all the stuff I’ve said.” Now, the pressure…

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Tuesday – ‘a walk to remember’

The walk from Bethany to Jerusalem is less than two miles. The average walking speed of a human is 3.1 miles per hour. This means that the walk to and from Jerusalem each day took Jesus about an hour and a half round trip. That’s a lot of time to think and talk, especially when you’re awaiting something as stressful and traumatizing as death by crucifixion. Conversations with friends and followers are probably a welcome distraction, but also hard, as…

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Sunday

It started with fear. Fear and trembling. There should be a body, why wasn't there a body?! It morphed into anger. They had taken him. They had TAKEN HIM. WHERE HAD THEY TAKEN HIM?!?! It swelled into confusion. Who was this man? Why was he talking to me? Where had he come from? Didn’t he know I was looking for…. Jesus. Couldn't be… “Mary.” Wait, this was… JESUS! Are you serious!? Is this happening!? I have to tell them. They’ll…

Holy Saturday

This was the longest day. In the history of humanity, this must have been the longest day. Had it really happened? Was it all just a bad dream? It couldn't have been a dream, they hadn't slept in days. He was gone. It was sinking in now. The truth of it all - the reality of what lay ahead. The shame. The mocking. The truth. He was gone. For all his talk of a new life and kingdom, it was…

Good Friday

Dead. There are few words like it. But that’s what he was. Dead. The man who had once brought life to so many, both spiritually and physically. The man who had convinced others to give their lives to God in ways they never thought possible. The man who had promised the coming a new kingdom they would all be a part of, was dead. Not that most of them were there to see it. All but John had run away,…

Maunday Thursday

Awkward. That’s the best way to describe that dinner. First there was the whole ‘one of you is going to betray me’ thing. Judas wasn't so much a fan of that. Then there was the part where Peter told Jesus ‘I will never leave you even if everyone else does’, and Jesus said ‘actually Peter, I’m going to single you out and say that you’re going to deny me three times before the sun rises.’ And all of that was…