Devotions Archive Archive: 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 Search Archive Print This Article Joy on Thursday Thursday, April 1, 2010 Revelation 1:8 "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "the one who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty." Isaiah 61:1-3 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me ... He has sent me to bring glad tidings to the lowly ... to comfort all who mourn ... give them the oil of joy instead of ashes and the garment of praise instead of heaviness. John 13:14-15 Jesus said, "When I wash your feet, you ought to wash one another's feet. As I have done for you, you should also do." 1 Corinthians 11:24 "Do this in remembrance of me." Jesus knows his friends and disciples are about to enter a deep dark valley. They will lose him, be left alone and unaware of the cataclysmic changes taking place in the "spirit world." He loves them so much, he wants them to know it, so he washes their feet. When he breaks the matzah of their Passover Seder Jesus says, "This is my body. Remember me when you break bread like this in the future." And when he drinks the wine of deliverance he says, "This is my blood. Remember me when you drink this wine in the future." Jesus knows that his time is short, and yet that it is not. His time is all time, he was present at creation and will preside over the end. "His return is very close and so you'd better be believin' that our God is an awesome God." He is the Alpha and the Omega. He knows that things have changed irrevocably and forever for the human beings God calls men and women. Their bondage to Satan is about to be broken. There is so much joy on this holy Thursday for Jesus, joy before his death, joy before his resurrection, joy for all the children he calls home to his (and their) Father. In the Garden of Gethsemane, while his disciples sleep, he will pour out his fears before his Father. He will ask for "this cup" of suffering to be taken from him. And then he will accept it, and drink it, and rejoice. It's Thursday, but Sunday's coming. I will sing of your great love forever, Lord, and make your faithfulness known through all generations. I will declare that your love stands firm. There is no one like you, Father; you are mighty, and your faithfulness surrounds you. - Psalm 89 "; Add      Edit    Delete