April 18, 2019 Lent Daily Devotional: We May Mess Up, But God Still Cares

 
48361_God_Loved.jpg

We May Mess Up, But God Still Cares

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart;
and lean not unto thine own understanding.

In all thy ways acknowledge him,
and he shall direct thy paths. ~ 
PROVERBS 3:5-6 (KJV)

Jesus has always been joyfully and lovingly by my side, but recently I know that something I did disappointed Him. Then one night I had a dream that woke me, and I think the dream meant something.

In my dream, it was late and dark, and I was leaving a friend’s house on my bicycle. A man was standing on the corner. I was afraid, so as I rode past him I hit him with my cane. He followed me and I kept striking him. No matter how much I hurt him, he kept following me.

When I woke up and thought about the dream, I remembered how I had disappointed God. I think the message He was sending through my dream was that He still forgives, loves, and cares, even when we mess up. Even when we hurt Him, or disappoint Him, He will not leave us.

Lord, I am grateful that when we seek you and ask, you are quick to forgive. Help us all to love you more and follow your leading in all ways.

BETTY LITTLE, ZION COMMUNITY CHURCH

MAUNDY THURSDAY

(Matthew 26:17-30)

On Thursday evening of Holy Week, it is thought that Jesus had His last supper with His disciples. It was a reflective and tender hour of fellowship when Jesus shared some of His greatest insights with them. In many churches, the holy communion service on Thursday evening is held in memory of Jesus’ last supper.

Sometimes the day is called Maundy Thursday, from the Latin wordmandatum, which means mandate, and refers to the “new commandment” that Jesus gave his followers, “that ye love one another.” Another explanation for the name comes from the Latin words, mandatum novum do bovis, which relate to the custom of carrying gifts to the poor in maunds (hand baskets).

The German name for Holy Thursday is Gründonnerstag, which is translated as “Green Thursday.” It was also known as “The Day of Foot Washing” because the Gospel often read is the account of Jesus washing the disciples’ feet.