Saturday of the Week of Lent V
Today’s readings: Jeremiah 31:27-34; Romans 11:25-36; John 11:28-44
“Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant…But this is the covenant I will make…I will put my law within them, and I will write it upon their hearts; and I will be their God and they shall be my people…I will forgive their iniquity and remember their sin no more” (Jer 31:27, 33-34).
Honestly, I never liked disciplining our kids. I dislike disciplining our grandkids even more! I did it because we wanted our children to learn right from wrong, to understand that there are boundaries and limits to behavior, helping them to grow and mature into productive, loving, responsible adults.
I enjoyed, much more, the restoration after the discipline! I looked forward to the time after the grounding, the moment when I could “free” the kids from their “time-out.” The experience after the punishment when we realized the lesson was learned and we could move forward, together, into a new aspect of the parent/child relationship.
Now, the Lord God, through Jeremiah, the prophet, is speaking of that time of restoration after the discipline. The time of judgment and wrath would come and it wouldn’t be pleasant for the children of God. But the Lord now speaks of what the time after would be like—a time of renewed relationship, of heartfelt obedience. The promise of “what comes after” was intended to keep God’s people going, even during the chastisement of exile in a foreign land.
Holy Week moves from the triumphal entry into Jerusalem to the reading, in most congregations, of the Passion of our Lord. There will be emotional highs and lows during Holy Week. Remember, Easter is coming! We are not singing “alleluias” in the Upper Room or at the foot of the cross, but there will be restoration and resurrection!
Prayer: Lord God, forgive our iniquity and remember our sin no more. We are yearning for restoration and resurrection! Amen.
Lenten Response: Can you clear your calendar for next week to make space and time for prayer, worship and quiet time? Give yourself the gift of a meaningful Holy Week.
Today’s devotion was written by the Rev. Dr. David M. Wendel, Assistant to the Bishop for Ministry and Ecumenism.
Click video to play.
Video of each day’s devotion is available here. The 2017 Lenten Devotional, based on Year I of the LBW and written by Pastor David Wendel, is available for download/printing in two formats and as a daily text/email message.
• 8.5″ x 11″ large print version for one- or two-sided printing on letter-sized paper
• 8.5″ x 11″ booklet (folds to 5.5″ x 8.5″) designed for two-sided printing on letter-sized paper
To receive daily devotionals via SMS, please text @NALCLENT to 614-682-8693.
To receive daily devotionals via email, please visit: NALC Lenten Devotional.
The 2017 Lenten Devotional is also available in both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. Search for NALC WALK OF FAITH. If you already have the NALC Walk of Faith app, just update it by clicking the “download” button next to the devotional for Lent.