LRC, Houston - the weekends-free church in Houston, Texas

THURSDAY DAY # 5

In this passion week, things now speed up to their intended conclusion rapidly. This is the evening that Jesus meets in the upper room with His disciples and begins to share things that are incomprehensible to them: things we now understand looking back in time. Today is known in traditional communities as Maundy Thursday, or Holy Thursday. It’s also a new mandate as we see in John 13:34.

In this passion week, today marks the beginning of three solemn days, days of uncertainty. But, these three days are just precursors to glorious Sunday: a day of celebration and a time to say GOODBYE LENT!

The Lords Supper or Eucharist has so many symbols in it for us that we miss, or dismiss today. It’s not just remembering Him with communion, it’s not just being the servant that He showed us to be with the foot washing, nor is it the power of sharing a meal (especially with the undesirables), but it’s a lifestyle of love. If the cross is symbolic for anything it is ultimate love. More on that later in the week.

The Last Supper which was a reminder of the Passover Meal of the Old Testament, says to those that want to embrace it, I am your substance, your life! We can LIVE off the Spirit of God, which is the “bread of life“. And now Jesus would have to live that in the darkest of moments.

Gethsemane followed soon after the last Supper.

A simple and yet desperate cry from Jesus’s lips- Abba, Father!

What is there in your life that you need to cry out to God about? Daddy God, Papa God, Father God, Abba Father? If it was good for Jesus, if it was a pleasure of Jesus, the Son of God, how much better can it be for you and I?

I know, this is America. This is the place in the world that everyone either wants to come to (can you say immigration problems?), or they want to destroy (can you say bin Laden?). We live in a nation where we don’t need God. Seriously. Sadly. Sure, there will be that occasional crisis, brief illness, scary moment, but on the whole, if you live in America, God’s not needed. Want proof?

Every year, fewer and fewer people go to church- in America!

Christianity is growing in the third-world nations. Where people really have needs, He’s there. Where there is no hospital, no doctor, people rely on prayer out of necessity. Lest we forget, 50% of the world does not own or have a telephone (land line or wireless). Life is generally good in America. Be honest. Maybe we need church for social reasons, probably a good thing for our kids, but we’ve got it together as adults. Besides, weekends are for leisure- resting from our labors.

This is not why Jesus experienced Gethsemane, nor the cross to come.

The pain of this night, as this day ends, as the Roman guards come to arrest Jesus, begins hours of agony (for our benefit) that none of us can fathom. I pray for but a portion of the understanding as I take communion tonight. With Thursday now over, Jesus has fulfilled all that He was called to do, as led by the Spirit. He now places Himself totally into the hands of Abba Father.

Will you join Him in that act?