Lenten Devotion for Thursday, March 27
By Paloma Solis
Read John 19: 12-16
God has given me many opportunities to show others His love in my life. I have been able to share what He has done in me with my friends and most of my immediate family. However, for some reason I just cannot do it with my father.
I grew up in a Catholic home. My dad is a strong believer of many things; he even goes to church and prays when there is something he cannot solve by “himself,” but I cannot tell you for sure if he believes in Jesus. When I told him I was going to follow Jesus Christ in another type of church, he was very surprised. His words hurt my heart because of the respect that I feel for him, but I was not going to give up my eternal father for the pressure of my earthly one.
The Holy Spirit gave me the words to explain to him what God was doing in me, and I knew I was doing the right thing. I listened to the Holy Spirit and now I am blessed by others members of my family who also follow Jesus.
Pilate could not find any sin in Jesus and could not understand why the Jewish authorities were so eager to crucify Him. He was ready to let Him go, but when they brought up Caesar in the conversation, the pressure on Pilate made him change his mind. Little did Pilate know that all his confusion was part of God’s will; all was part of His plan to fulfill His promise.
Our human nature makes us so weak, and our vision is so limited that even when we are presented with situations where we clearly see the right from the wrong, we still become confused and do not know what to do. This is the time to pray and listen to the Holy Spirit.
Let the Holy Spirit work through you. Know that God is in control and His mercy knows no end. Listen, trust, and follow. God’s promises will be fulfilled.
We pray: Dear Father, you are the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. You are in control of everything. Please helps us to have a humble heart and open ears to follow the instructions that lead us to the perfect plan that You already have in store for us. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. Proverbs 19:21 Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.
Family discussion
Where do you go when you have a problem that you do not know how to answer? How do you find the answer?
Everyday object
Place a compass next to you during your devotion. How does a compass help you when you find your way?