Brown's Daily Word 3-27-13

Praise the Lord for this Holy Week in the church calendar. I woke up early morning and gazed at the moon. It was brilliant and bright, dispelling the clouds of gloom and despair. I Kept gazing at the brilliant sky and thanked the Lord for another day in His Kingdom. I looked at clock and reflected that it was a long pause before the dawn. I spent some time reflecting on this week in the life of our Lord.

 

In Psalm 23 we see ourselves walking through darkness with the Shepherd as our guide. In C.S. Lewis' The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, as Aslan makes his way to the stone table he comes to a point where he does not allow Lucy and Susan to go any further. They are not permitted to make that last leg of the journey with him. It is a path which he must walk alone, into the heart of death and darkness. It is a time of silence for Aslan, as well as for the children.

At times we experience loneliness, especially in those long hours before dawn. We so often live in silence. It was so for Jesus' disciples, as there was a dead space between Good Friday and Easter Sunday. We might say, "I know the rest of the story", but Peter, John and Mary did not.

On the road to calvary Jesus was resolute and focused. He was unafraid and brave. Peter insisted that he would not fail. Here Jesus informed him of his triple failure. Three times he would deny the Lord. He would strike out. Yet Jesus interceded, saying, "Peter, Satan has asked that he might sift you like wheat. But I have prayed for you that your faith fail not. And when you have returned to me strengthen your brothers" (Luke 22:31-32).

Let us fear not. Christ has prayed for us. It is amazing and heart warming that our Lord intercedes for us. He has passed through the valley of the shadow of death for us so that we need not fear any evil. Our salvation is not maintained by our fragile faith, but we are kept by the power of God. Our forgiveness is in His shed blood.

The chief shepherd has passed through the valley of the shadow of death. There is no valley so deep that the Son of God can not fathom it, no mountain so high that the Son of Man can't climb it. no darkness so grim that the Prince of the dawn can not illuminate it, no sin God can't forgive, no person so lost that Christ can not find them, no bondage so great that the Deliverer can not burst it asunder. The valley is the Lord's. The way is safe. "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever." Amen.

We will gather for a very special meal prepared with much love at 6 PM. We will spend some time in fellowship in working in the Church sanctuary. The choir will practice at 7:30 PM. It is a great day to be alive and to know "(But) God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8

Yes,while we were yet in our sin, Christ died for us.

Blessed be His Name.

Brown

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