Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 41:7-13
Ps 41:7-13
7 All my enemies whisper together against me; they imagine the worst for me, saying, 8 "A vile disease has beset him; he will never get up from the place where he lies." 9 Even my close friend, whom I trusted, he who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me. 10 But you, O LORD, have mercy on me; raise me up, that I may repay them. 11 I know that you are pleased with me, for my enemy does not triumph over me. 12 In my integrity you uphold me and set me in your presence forever. 13 Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and Amen.
Luke 22:20-24
20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. 21 But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table. 22 The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed, but woe to that man who betrays him." 23 They began to question among themselves which of them it might be who would do this. 24 Also a dispute arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest.
While Jesus is talking to the twelve who had been with him for three years about the meaning of true love and was giving them the first communion, they were in an argument over who would be the greatest. As if this were not enough, one of them (Judas) was in the process of betraying his Lord, handing him over to the rulers to be killed. Jesus knows what it is like to be ignored, to be misunderstood, maligned and even to be betrayed by a close friend. He can feel our pain.
But do we ignore our Lord and his teaching? Do we take lightly the communion we have with him as we participate in his Supper? Have we betrayed him in our actions and in our speech at times? Are we concerned with being first and the greatest among his disciples? When Jesus is truly our Lord, we submit to him and we show his love in every facet of our lives. It is only when we learn to serve him by serving others that we take on his Spirit. As he washed the feet of these men, he showed us what it means to be great in his kingdom and in his sight.
O Lord God, forgive me for all the times I have tried to be first. Pardon me for ignoring your word or for betraying you in my speech or actions. Keep me from being proud or self-righteous. Use me in your service to help others in whatever capacity you know is best suited for me. I am so thankful for your mercy and for your grace shown to me in Jesus. There are so many who are facing problems, who are sick, who are taking treatments, who are having or getting over surgery and I ask you to be with each one. In Jesus name. Amen and amen.
Robert
