Lenten Devotions 2007

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A partner synod endeavor of the Lower Susquehanna Synod and the Northern Illinois Synod

Wednesday, February 28

The Rev. Dr. Tom Larsen

seniorpastor@grics.net

 Northern Illinois Synod Assistant to the Bishop

Trinity Lutheran Church, Galesburg, IL

Today's Readings:  Psalm 17;  Job 1:1-22;  Luke 21:34 -- 22:6

To read: Luke 22:1-6
Now the festival of Unleavened Bread, which is called the Passover, was near. The chief priests and the scribes were looking for a way to put Jesus to death, for they were afraid of the people. Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was one of the twelve; he went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers of the temple police about how he might betray him to them. They were greatly pleased and agreed to give him money. So he consented and began to look for an opportunity to betray him to them when no crowd was present.

To think about:

Pauline (from For One More Day by Mitch Albom) provided unconditional love and all the other sustenance of life needed to raise her son Charley. As a divorced woman in the 1960’s with few marketable skills, it was not easy for this brave mother to put food on the table and, later, to send her son to college. Charley took her love and her sacrifices for granted and spent much of his life chasing the elusive love of his father, who left when Charley was 11. Toward the end of his life, when miraculous events give him a chance to process “unfinished business” with his deceased mother, Charley reviews the many times that she stood up for him and the many times that he did not stand up for her.

In Luke 21, we read about Judas being put in the role of the betrayer. Most of us would not have to look too far into our lives to see times when we have betrayed or failed to stand up for Jesus. Each time that we did not feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, comfort the bereaved or befriended the lonely, we have been cast in the same role as Judas. We have often taken God’s love for granted and failed to share it in tangible ways with the Christ who is present in the suffering of brothers and sisters. Even so, God stands up for us.

To pray:

Gracious God, If you were to hold our sins against us, no one could stand. Thank you for the ways you life us up with your gifts of forgiveness, life and salvation. Amen

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