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Is your understanding of Holy Week arrested in development?

Psalm 118

O praise the Lord, for He is good; His mercy does endure.
Let those of Israel now say, “His mercy does endure”.
Now let the house of Aaron say, “His mercy does endure”.
Let those that fear the Lord now say, “His mercy does endure”.

I in distress called on the Lord; the Lord did answer me:
He set me in a spacious place, from trouble set me free.
The mighty Lord is on my side; I will not be afraid;
For anything that man can do, I shall not be dismayed.

The Lord is for me among those who do give help to me;
Therefore on those that do me hate, I’ll look triumphantly.
It’s better far to trust in God than trust in man’s defense;
Better to trust in God than kings who seek our confidence.

The nations, joining all in one, did compass me about:
But in the Lord’s most holy name, I shall them all root out.
They compassed me about; I say, they compassed me about:
But in the Lord’s most holy name, I shall them all root out.

Like swarming bees, they did surround, like dry thorns set aflame;
They were extinguished, for I shall destroy them in God’s name.
They pushed me down so that I fell, but then the Lord helped me.
The Lord is both my strength and song; salvation He will be.

In dwellings of the righteous ones is heard the joyous shout;
The Lord’s right hand does valiantly; salvation brings about.
The right hand of the mighty Lord exalted is on high;
The Lord’s right hand does valiantly, and thus I shall not die.

I shall not die, but live and tell God’s works with every breath.
The Lord has chastened me, but has not given me to death.
Now open unto me the perfect gates of righteousness;
Then will I enter into them, and I the Lord will bless.

This is the gate of God, by it the just shall enter in.
I will give thanks, for You have heard, and my salvation been.
That stone is made head corner-stone which builders did despise:
This is the doing of the Lord, and wondrous in our eyes.

This is the day the Lord has made; rejoice exceedingly.
O Lord, do save, grant us success, and send prosperity.
For blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord;
From the Lord’s house, we bless You now – where blessing is outpoured.

The Lord is God, and He has made His light on us to rise.
Bind to the altar’s horns with cords the festal sacrifice.
You are my God; I’ll give You thanks; exalt You evermore.
Give thanks to God, for He is good; His mercy does endure.

HOLY WEEK DAY 1

Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. He will be delivered over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him and spit on him; they will flog him and kill him. On the third day he will rise again.”

The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what he was talking about. (Luke 18:31-34 NIV)

We must remember always, you and I are, at best, those disciples, “who did not understand any of this.”

We cannot allow ourselves to be lulled into the so-called benefit of hindsight. Holy Week is ever before us. Sure, we may understand all of this at a historical level and we may even grasp the doctrinal implications of His Passion, but here’s the question I am asking myself:

“Is my understanding of the meaning of His Passion growing, or has my understanding become arrested in development somewhere along the way?”

What I’m saying may seem somewhat abstract and mysterious to you, but we will be served to remember that at the heart of it all is pure mystery.

As we enter into Passion Week, let us join together and affirm with the Church at all times and in all places the “GREAT MYSTERY OF OUR FAITH: CHRIST HAS DIED! CHRIST IS RISEN! CHRIST WILL COME AGAIN!”

And we shall sing our way there. CLICK HERE.

J.D. Walt writes daily for Seedbed’s Daily Text. He serves as Seedbed’s Sower in Chief. Follow him @jdwalt on Twitter or email him at jd.walt@seedbed.com.

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WHAT IS THIS? Wake-Up Call is a daily encouragement to shake off the slumber of our busy lives and turn our eyes toward Jesus. Each morning our community gathers around a Scripture, a reflection, a prayer, and a few short questions, inviting us to reorient our lives around the love of Jesus that transforms our hearts, homes, churches, and cities.

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