I re-read some of my Lenten posts from last year - and loved being reminded of the lessons God taught me in the process. It was definitely more than a spiritual discipline - it was a spiritual journey! In fact, it was on the third day of that journey that I decided to start a blog so I could share my thoughts and my journey. It was an amazing experience for me to embark on.
This year I have a lot of other things that divert my time from a study with that intensity - but I decided I both needed and wanted to accept the challenge of the daily discipline of doing it. I did not approach it with the same preparation as last year. Last year I worked out a reading program, and stuck to it. This year, I just decided committing to writing daily about what I was reading in my devotions would have to do - and even though it isn't as conducive to good writing, honoring the commitment - and reading intentionally so I have something to report - is fulfilling.
I loved reading Isaiah in light of what our Sunday School class is studying. The title of the study we are doing is "Understanding The Times'. It is a compelling study on the book of The Revelation of John in light of where we fit in that prophecy today. The timing couldn't have been more perfect, as the fulfillment of prophecy is occurring rapidly as we watch in wonder.
Our teacher is literally writing his own syllabus in the process of doing his preparation for the class. I haven't decided yet what book of the Bible will be next - but I am leaning toward one of the gospels so I can again follow the last two weeks of Jesus' life while the Israel Tour is still so fresh in my mind. I'll choose by tomorrow, when the Lenten journey continues. For now, indulge me in sharing an excerpt from last year's blog to set the stage:
21 Days to Easter: Sunday, March 14, 2010
Reading for today:
John 11:45 - 54
Jesus went about doing good: healing the sick, giving sight to the blind, casting out demons, restoring relationships, bringing hope, teaching, loving, being present - and for all those crimes, culminating with his unforgivable good in raising Lazarus from the dead, He who knew no sin became a liability to the political balance of the day - enough so that he was targeted for termination.
I mean, really....doesn't it sound preposterous? All he had ever done was good. The only castigations ever uttered from his lips were against those who pompously paraded their phony religiosity - and it is this collection of religious leaders who unite behind one cause: to do away with the one individual who is upsetting the balance of things as they were. Their fear is a political one. But what a horrible trade-off.
Verse 48 reports their fear: "If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation." All they cared about was their position. They had no vision - and, even though they were the supposed spiritual leaders, they had no grasp of the many prophecies foretelling their Messiah. Yet, they were acting out their 'scripted' roles in perfect rhythm.
For Jesus at this juncture, it is 'time to get out of Dodge' and John tells us he withdrew to a region near the desert, to a village called Ephraim.
From this passage, we know that in the last couple of months of Jesus life, he stayed away from Jerusalem. We know from earlier reading that he spent some time in Capernaum. We know he was 'beyond the Jordan.’ We know he was in Jericho. We know from this passage that he was in Ephraim. He stayed away because of timing. He had a keen sense of God's will - and also knew precisely when the drama had to play out to fit into prophecy, and to fulfill God's perfect plan.
In real time, Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead about 2 months before his own death - so we are stepping back in time just a bit to focus on the plot to kill him . . . but it deserves our careful consideration, and helps confirm where he was during these weeks before he came back to 'face the music.'
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