Exodus 29:1-30:10 ~ Matthew 26:14-46 ~ Psalm 31:19-24 ~ Proverbs 8:14-26   So each time we get to the stories of Christ’s betrayal, of his giving up his life in such truly horrific fashion, becoming the living sacrifice, laying down his perfect life for us and dying the way that he did to purchase our salvation, it is difficult because it is the most joyous thing in our very existence and yet it is difficult to watch this happen, you know?  So we see Jesus in the garden and he is seriously human at this point, right?  I mean, he is crying out to God in anguish, and these are human emotions.  This wasn’t a situation where Jesus had transcended his humanity and just kind of went through it all, just aloof to the whole thing.  He suffered as a man in this moment.  “The spirit is willing, but the body is weak,” he said.  He says something very poignant in his prayers, the final one just before his betrayer came and kissed him.  It is something that should help us as we face hardship [Read More]

  Lamentations 3:1-66 ~ Hebrews 1:1-14 ~ Psalm 102:1-28 ~ Proverbs 26:21-22   Hardship is an interesting thing.  Challenge is interesting because it is really a matter of the person experiencing the hardship or challenge that gives it context.  What may be overwhelmingly difficult to one may be a walk in the park for another, all based on life experiences and personality and temperament.  But then there are regional and global hardships that are undeniably difficult for everyone involved.  The Holocaust and World War II are a good example of this where the Jewish people were being exterminated left and right and the unthinkable was happening.  Well, this is what we are reading about in the book of Lamentations today.  It was prophesied.  It was warned of, but it had come and the Babylonians had swept down and surrounded Jerusalem and eventually the wall fell and the Babylonians came in and slaughtered the people and destroyed the city, entered the temple, desecrated the temple, [Read More]