March 13, 2015: Luke 23:13-31

We encourage you to read this devotion three times a day.  Start in the morning and reflect upon the morning reflection question. Then in the afternoon, read it again and reflect using the noon question for reflection.  For the evening, take time to ponder how this has resonated with you in the day and reflecting using the evening question.  We offer a prayer with each devotion for you to pray or we invite you to pray what is in your heart.

Luke 23:13-31

13 Pilate then called together the chief priests, the leaders, and the people, ¹⁴and said to them, ‘You brought me this man as one who was perverting the people; and here I have examined him in your presence and have not found this man guilty of any of your charges against him. ¹⁵Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us. Indeed, he has done nothing to deserve death. ¹⁶I will therefore have him flogged and release him.’

18 Then they all shouted out together, ‘Away with this fellow! Release Barabbas for us!’ ¹⁹(This was a man who had been put in prison for an insurrection that had taken place in the city, and for murder.) ²⁰Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, addressed them again; ²¹but they kept shouting, ‘Crucify, crucify him!’ ²²A third time he said to them, ‘Why, what evil has he done? I have found in him no ground for the sentence of death; I will therefore have him flogged and then release him.’ ²³But they kept urgently demanding with loud shouts that he should be crucified; and their voices prevailed. ²⁴So Pilate gave his verdict that their demand should be granted. ²⁵He released the man they asked for, the one who had been put in prison for insurrection and murder, and he handed Jesus over as they wished.

26 As they led him away, they seized a man, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming from the country, and they laid the cross on him, and made him carry it behind Jesus. ²⁷A great number of the people followed him, and among them were women who were beating their breasts and wailing for him. ²⁸But Jesus turned to them and said, ‘Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. ²⁹For the days are surely coming when they will say, “Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.” ³⁰Then they will begin to say to the mountains, “Fall on us”; and to the hills, “Cover us.” ³¹For if they do this when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?’

Reflection:

Early on the morning that we call “Good Friday” Jesus went to trial before Pontius Pilate, the Roman Governor. After Pilate “washed his hands” of Jesus, he was handed over to be flogged and taken to be crucified.  The path that Jesus traveled from the palace of Pontius Pilate to the cross has come to be called the “Via Dolorosa” which means “the way of suffering”.  The route is only a half a mile, but it is probably one of the most significant walks ever taken because this walk has eternal significance.  And Jesus took this cruel path willingly for us.

 How far would you walk for Christ?  We don’t necessarily like to be inconvenienced but the Gospel message is a message of inconvenience.  We’ll skip spiritual time over the slightest inconvenience.  Christ took this short walk of salvation willingly for us.   He didn’t whine or complain, get angry or get even.  In the midst of our worst failure as humankind, he kept loving us.  How far can we walk for him?

Reflection Questions:

Morning: As you look ahead to the day, where are the potential pitfalls that will rob you of peace?  How might you avoid them or change your attitude in facing them?

Noon:  What distractions have kept you from focusing on your spiritual journey?  Continue to pray for clarity and focus.

Evening:  As you rest tonight, reflect on the journey of the day. Is it hard for you to follow God even when other priorities take over?  Continue praying.

Prayer:  Holy and merciful God, forgive me when I cannot be inconvenienced for You.  Help me to willingly follow you even in the midst of challenges.