Passion Week

Dear Sisters in Jesus,

Be blessed on Passion Week. May the blood of Jesus whisper His peace to our souls and may our thoughts be fixed on Jesus who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:2).

 Let’s think together on our theme, Think Right: Win the Fight!

Passion Week Thoughts

            It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.

John 13:1

It was just before the Passover Feast and Jesus’ mind must have been set on the cross. When our minds get set on something, we can tend to be self-absorbed, tuning everyone else out and becoming fixated on the thing that looms before us.

Not Jesus. Knowing He would be betrayed, deserted, persecuted, and put to death on a cross, His thoughts were not on self, but on others. He now showed them the full extent of his love (John 13:1).

Jesus showed the full extent of His love by humbling Himself and washing the feet of His disciples. He said, “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you” (John 13:15).

Passion Week Thought: Who will you serve this week?

Jesus showed the full extent of His love by sharing the truth of who He is. He said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

Passion Week Thought: Who will you clearly communicate the Gospel message with this week?

Jesus showed the full extent of His love by praying for Himself, His disciples, and future believers. He prayed, “Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name–the name you gave me–so that they may be one as we are one” (John 17:11).

Passion Week Thought: What will be your prayer focus this week?

Jesus showed the full extent of His love by forgiving His persecutors. He prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).

Passion Week Thought: Who do you need to forgive this week?

Jesus showed the full extent of His love by dying on the cross. Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit (John 19:30).

Passion Week Thought: How will you express gratitude to your Savior this week for His finished work on the cross?

Think on it: Read and reread the account of Passion Week in each of the Gospels. Let Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection fill each waking thought.

May the mind of Christ, my Savior,

Live in me from day to day,

By His love and power controlling

All I do and say.

Katie B. Wilkinson

 

grace and peace,

Lenae

Do you see individuals or interruptions?

THINK ABOUT INTERRUPTIONS

Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Psalm 90:12

What best describes your personality?

a.     Go with the flow. Life is an adventure; I thoughtlessly roll wherever it takes me.

b.     Highly structured. You can set your watch by my habits and routine.

c.      Interruptible. I have a plan for the day, but if I experience divine appointments, I adjust my day and follow His leading.

There are our natural tendencies to the way we think through our days and respond to the unexpected and then there’s God’s way, so beautifully and rightly demonstrated in Jesus’ example.

From a human perspective, Jesus was interrupted often, especially at mealtime. In Mark 3 when Jesus and His disciples entered a home, a loud crowd gathered and they were not even able to eat (Mark 3:20). His family heard about what must’ve become a regular pattern to His days, and they were concerned. They wanted to take charge of Him, and said, “He is out of his mind” (Mark 3:21).

Jesus didn’t share their mindset. He saw individuals, not interruptions. He understood that God’s divine appointments must trump lists and lunch plans. He called the people to Himself and spoke to them (Mark 3:23).

On a different occasion, The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest” (Mark 6:30-31).

Sounds wonderful, doesn’t it? Can you almost feel your muscles relax as you think of climbing into a boat with Jesus for some peace? “Finally!” you think. “It’s about time I get some me time!” You’ve worked hard, you reported to Jesus all that you accomplished, and you’re eager for some needed R&R. But when your boat docks you discover that the crowds have moved into your space and schedule. From a human perspective, it looks like an interruption. Through Jesus’ eyes, it’s a divine appointment. He sees people who are like sheep without a shepherd. Jesus had compassion on them, taught them, and at the end of the day, rather then sending them home hungry, He fed all 5,000 with five loaves and two fish (Mark 6:32-42).

No matter what our personality, God wants our thoughts about our time and to-do lists to walk in step with the Spirit instead of our rigid thinking about personal time entitlement.

Think on it: What right thinking thoughts can you choose when “interruptions” come your way today?

To paraphrase C. S. Lewis, there is not a square inch of our lives that is not claimed by God and counterclaimed by ourselves. If we believe God is sovereign, however, we will see all of life as mission and be led to submit the square inches we otherwise hold so tightly to the Maker of inches and hands.

Jared Wilson

grace and peace,

Lenae