Note: This prayer meditation is first and foremost designed to be listened to, so we encourage you to listen to the audio as you read along.
WEEK 16 – Good Friday
For the next 10 minutes or so, we are going to turn our attention to God in prayer. He desires to meet with us today. To talk to us. To share His heart with us. Take a few deep breaths and say the following prayer:
God, You are here now. And I am loved by You.
Now, take a moment and pray this simple prayer that can be said in the span of a breath.
Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me.
As I read the following passage from Mark, listen with the expectation that God is moving towards you, to speak to you, through these Spirit-inspired words today.
At the festival, Pilate used to release for the people a prisoner whom they requested. There was one named Barabbas, who was in prison with rebels who had committed murder during the rebellion. The crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to do for them as was his custom. Pilate answered them, “Do you want me to release the king of the Jews for you?” For he knew it was because of envy that the chief priests had handed him over. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd so that he would release Barabbas to them instead. Pilate asked them again, “Then what do you want me to do with the one you call the king of the Jews?” Again they shouted, “Crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Why? What has he done wrong?” But they shouted all the more, “Crucify him!” Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them; and after having Jesus flogged, he handed him over to be crucified.
But Jesus had been warning His disciples, He was going to be handed over and He was going to die. And now the crowd that had witnessed His miracles was demanding His crucifixion. But little did they know that those who had schemed and plotted unwittingly participated in God’s ultimate plan of redemption through the sacrifice of His Son.
Truly, what had been planned for evil, God intended for good, to bring about the salvation of many.
Imagine the sights, the smells, the feeling of the crowd, the confusion, and the chaos.
The violence and rage.
The isolation and anguish of our Savior.
Lord, I am overwhelmed by Your sacrifice.
That You would die for me, a sinner.
I have no good apart from You.
When I reflect on your crucifixion, I am undone.
Where would I be without Your love?
Where would I be without the cross?
Hear the Word of the LORD:
1 Corinthians 2:6-9
We do, however, speak a wisdom among the mature, but not a wisdom of this age, or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. On the contrary, we speak God’s hidden wisdom in a mystery, a wisdom God predestined before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age knew this wisdom, because if they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written,
What no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human heart has conceived—God has prepared these things for those who love him.
AMEN.
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