A Lenten Devotion for Wednesday, March 19
- ontrakk
- Mar 19
- 1 min read
Matthew 27:26-31
Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.
Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said. They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.
People can be so utterly cruel and heartless. The soldiers cannot be excused for a “crime of passion.” Their mistreatment of Jesus was not even personal. They didn’t know him, or what he taught, or how he lived, or where he came from. They were simply being nasty and violent. I cannot fathom this, and don’t want to understand where this comes from.
Holy Lord, how does this happen? How do we allow ourselves to become worse than animals? How is this part of your will? This behavior has been played out over and over all over the world. It happened before Jesus was born, and it continues to this very day. Help us, Lord, to get back to love. Amen
Becky, transforming
Matthew 27:26-31
How can such cruel people exist?! It is unimaginable to me to treat another so horribly, who has that in them! To me spitting is a vile and disgusting act and a pinnacle of disrespect. This act only further emphasized the cruelty. As many times as I have gone over this part of the Easter story, it always and will always get a gut wrenching and heart breaking reaction … satan at his very worst.
Heavenly Father, as unbearable as it is to contemplate, thank you for this reminder of your Son’s sacrifice and how it has shaped the world and my life. Please help me to always keep this love forefront in my mind and to live…
Matthew 27:26-31
These verses clearly describe "Man's inhumanity to Man." We've seen this behavior all too often throughout our world's history. I do disagree with Lucado on these lines--"We don't fault the soldiers for these two actions. After all, they were just following orders." How often have we heard that! We know from the Nuremberg trials of many Nazis, that following orders was not a defense. After the physical abuse these soldiers felt even braver and proceeded with mockery and more demeaning abuse. It is never easy to read this part of the story year after year.
Prayer: Gracious God, Please, we need you to put love not hate and evil into the hearts of all mankind. AMEN
Matthew 27:26-31
There is seemingly no depth too low for the human heart to sink. Mockery and ridicule are horrible evils that perpetuate further evil acts. It gives us school shooters, serial killers and criminals of many other types. Lucado pauses on one of the very worst elements of Jesus’ murder and dwelling on its depravity has the potential to ruin the day ahead. After all, we are awash with depraved people (even those with legal authority), bent only toward harming other people physically, emotionally or financially. In this area of life, it seems to me we must tend to our own sin in contrite confession first, then pray our example can influence others to say yes to Jesus, whose…