Read Psalm 56, Proverbs 27, Isaiah 53:10-12
Next week is Passion Week. We will read Psalm 23, the Proverbs chapter of the day, and pretty much the Passion week story: Monday-John 12:1-11, Tuesday-Ezekiel 37:1-14, Wednesday-John 13:21-38, Thursday-Mark 14:12-26, Friday-John 18-19, Saturday-John 21:1-14
Here are some housekeeping things: Monday is supposed to be our last video. The topic will be Meditation, another discipline that we who are from the “fundamental,” evangelical, or pentecostal camps are not very good at. But if there ever was a time to meditate, it is the week of the passion of Christ. Our 40 days will end next Saturday, one week from today. We WILL CELEBRATE Easter with a brief devotional thought (I think) and a recommended Easter reading. AND, because I hate to say goodbye 🙂 we will do one more Monday together on April 5. You all have been terrific with so many kind words and comments. Thank you. If you haven’t, please do me a wonderful honor and subscribe to this blog by entering your email in the upper-right hand corner. While you’re at it, you could follow my FaceBook page @mikecourtney. (That is different from “friending” my personal page.) And, subscribe to and like the podcast, “What Difference Does That Make?” wherever you download your favorite podcasts. One more thing, (I know, this is a lot) tell somebody else about the blog and podcast. Frankly, I am trying to write a lot more and produce more content. The more “followers” I get, the easier that is. Nuff of that. Here’s a really deep, but really good devotional thought from Simone Weil.
“It is in affliction itself that the splendor of God’s mercy shines, from its very depths, in the heart of its unconsolable bitterness. If still persevering in our love, we fall to the point where our soul cannot keep back the cry, ‘My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?’ if we remain at this point without ceasing to love (Him), we end by touching something that is not affliction, not joy, something that is the central essence, necessary and pure, something not of our own senses, the very Love of God. We know then that joy is the sweetness of the contact with God, and affliction is the wound of the same contact, and all that matters is the contact, not the manner of it.”
I don’t mean to offend you by explaining that, but it helps me to say it. I finally come to a point, often in the great hurts of my life, that I truly encounter the deep, heartfelt, intimate Love of God for me. When I have experienced that, then staying in His Love is all that matters, whether I experience it through the wonderful, joyful moments of life or through suffering. Either way, I am “knowing” His Love. Wow, that is a hard place to get to. It is Jesus praying, “Nevertheless, not my will but Thine be done.”
Have a blessed Palm Sunday. See you next week.
Wonderful, wonderful. I have surely experienced HIS LOVE!
Yes, you have Pat. And it shows.
I can’t wait to come to my prayer room to read these sessions. During this whole time I have been in so much pain and this helps me make it through the day. Thank you, I don’t want it to end.