SCRIPTURE I will fear no evil, for You are with me. Psalm 23:4
“While Lent is the journey into the most significant event of human history, the three great days [Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Saturday night Great Paschal Vigil] are a life-changing experience of God’s saving work in history. For Christians there is no time throughout the entire Christian year that is more crucial than the three great days. These are days to be set aside to enter into a worship that is the source of our entire spirituality, a moment in time that defines all time for Christians, a moment in time that is the very sum and substance of our spirituality for every season, every week, every Sunday, and every moment of every day. . . . It is imperative for the church to go beyond its present practice to recover the fullness of the three great days and to impress upon us all how important these days are, not only as historical events to be remembered but as events to be lived in our own dying to sin and rising to the new life of the Spirit. For herein lies the source and energy of our spiritual lives.“
Robert Webber, Ancient-Future Time Forming Spirituality Through the Christian Year
THOUGHT Mark 14:26 and Matthew 26:30 both record a simple event, “And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.” I love the thought of the Savior singing, lifting his voice with a room full of good friends, bound together by memories of three incredible years of ministry together. But it is the night of his betrayal, and Jesus has broken the bread and shared the cup with his closest friends, including one among them who will betray him.
When my heart is most disturbed, it is often the old songs that bring the greatest comfort, and I wonder if that was true for Jesus. Perhaps the hymn they sing before starting for the Mount of Olives and the Garden of Gethsemane is Psalm 23 – it is one of the best-known passages in scripture for a reason. Perhaps the words, “I will fear no evil, for you are with me,” take on more meaning than ever. Perhaps they come back to him as he agonizes later, helping sooth his wrestling heart as he surrenders, “Your will be done,” and hears a faint echo, “I will fear no evil, for you are with me.”
God-with-us is a truth of Advent, but it is a truth of Lent too, for God-with-us in flesh needed God-with-us in spirit, just as we do. Take time today to call out to Immanuel; the God who is with us through our singing, sighing, betrayals, and darkest hours.
PRAYER God-With-Us, we are often afraid when evil seems to be closing in. Help us sing – even when we struggle – I will fear no evil, for you are with me.
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Blogger Amy Clemens is the author of Walking When You’d Rather Fly: Meditations on Faith After the Fall. In it she explores childhood sexual abuse and how it impacted her faith (or lack thereof) for four decades. You’ll find not only her story, but better yet, the Big Story of God.
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Just what I needed to hear today. Thanks for your obedience daily send words of truth.
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Thank you, Sue. Humbly, Amy
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