Holy Wednesday

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Wednesday – thirty pieces of silver

No one wakes up one day and says “today is the day I am going to ruin my life.” It happens much more slowly than that. The worst moment, the worst choice, the worst day, all sneaks up on you through small, minute, seemingly inconsequential decisions until all at once they have reached their climax. Affairs don’t begin the minute you’re with another person. Murder doesn’t spring out of nowhere the second you pull the trigger. Thieves don’t walk into…

When fear comes from a fig tree

They couldn’t believe it. The tree was dead. Like shriveled, brown and broken dead. Just yesterday it had been as healthy as could be - well except for the lack of figs that is. Jesus had wanted something to eat, and He had gone to the tree - something He had done so many times before. Only this time, there weren't apparently any figs, just the leaves; and He was none too happy about it.  “May no fruit ever come…

Wednesday – God’s anointed

He was just spending it with friends. His last day, the day before it all changed. Like the calm before the storm, Jesus is with His people, enjoying a meal and trying not to focus on what the next few days will bring. Perhaps there is even a smile, or a moment of laughter, as for one brief second, there is respite from His reality. And then, suddenly, it was time.  Mark 14:3–9 (ESV)And while he was at Bethany in…

The hardest part

Tom Petty famously penned and sang the line ‘the waiting is the hardest part’ - and I think in most cases, I’d have to agree with him. When we were young kids, my parents used to drive us down to my grandparents farm on all the major holidays and at least a few times each summer. Grandma’s house was a magical land filled with the best of all worlds. Grandma loved to cook, and we loved food, so that lined…

Wednesday – ‘a line in the sand’

You can never say he didn’t try to warn them. He has been telling them for the better part of three years now; “eventually, it’s going to become unpopular to hang out with me. Soon enough people are going to ask you if you’re with me or against me. At some point I’m not going to be around anymore - and you’re going to have some decisions to make about me and all the stuff I’ve said.” Now, the pressure…

Wednesday

Betrayal. Even the word makes stomachs turn. The idea of having someone, anyone take the faith you’ve placed in them and use it against you, makes skin crawl. It kills relationships. It breaks hearts. It destroys trust. There is not much in the world that is worse than being betrayed. Especially by one of your best friends. I sometimes wonder how Jesus even looked at Judas from this point. Knowing full well what was going on. The man who has…