Sloooow waaaaay doooowwwwwnnnnnn

(Guest devotion from my pastor Daron)

We call it Holy Week. Why is it holy? Because during this week the most magnificent of all divine events in the Bible took place. Because during this week the Bible asks readers to find a magnifying glass and look carefully at what's happening.

The pace of the Bible's presentation of Holy Week slows .... waaaaaaay ... dowwwwwnnnnnn. God wants our attention now more than ever. Almost half of the chapters of John are dedicated to this last week of Jesus' life and ministry on earth, and significant amounts of the other gospels including almost 1/3 of the gospel of Matthew. 

Give it some time this week, reading it as much and as often as you can with the goal of an entire reading as many days of this week as possible. See what amazing treasures God has in store for you, like watching a movie a second and third time and making new discoveries.

Here's a snapshot outline:

• Palm Sunday - Jesus enters Jerusalem among throngs of Passover pilgrims (Matthew 21:1-11).
• Angry Monday - Jesus disrupts the temple merchants and curses a fig tree (Matthew 21:12-19)
• Busy Tuesday - Jesus spends a long day teaching in the temple courts (Matthew 21:20-26:16)
• Silent Wednesday - we call it this because there is no recorded activity of Jesus on this day, though it's possible Judas made his behind-the-scene arrangements on this day (Matthew 26:14-16)
• Maundy Thursday - Jesus institutes the Lord's Supper with his disciples, and is betrayed, arrested, and put on trial long into the night. The word "maundy" comes from the Latin word for "command," because in the upper room Jesus said "I give you a new command: love one another" (Matthew 26:17-75)
• Good Friday - Jesus is convicted by Pontius Pilate, mocked, beaten, and crucified; he dies and is buried (Matthew 27:1-61)
• Holy Saturday - Jesus' body rests in the tomb, the Pharisees fear that Jesus' disciples will steal his body and see he's risen (Matthew 27:62-66)
• Easter Sunday - Alleluia! Christ is risen! (Matthew 28:1-15)

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Lord, slow me down.
Grab my attention.
Distract me with your love and your Jesus.
Now more than ever.
Amen.

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Link to daily bible reading calendar (chronological - one chapter per day)

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