Devotional 4-8-20

“A Severe Mercy”

Isaiah 50:4-9a
Psalm 70
Hebrews 12:1-3
John 13:21-32

Wednesday, the eve of the three most despairing and sorrowful days for the followers of Jesus; those who love Him, believe Him, look to Him for hope, for truth, for encouragement to strengthen their infant faith. They believe their faith in God has been solid; Jesus has shown them a new faith.  A faith which is personal, actionable, with love of God and neighbor as the foundation.  Over the next three days, they will experience what author Sheldon Vanauken calls “A Severe Mercy.”

The Old Testament readings reveal the extreme physical and emotional cost for those who hear and follow God’s call to faithful service with commitment and determination:

• “Therefore, I set my face like flint.”  (Isaiah 50:7b)
• “Let those who seek my life be ashamed and humiliated!” (Psalm 70:2a) 

Both readings also reveal the faithful servants’ trusting belief that God will not only help, but will also deliver them from the perils they face:

• “Look!  The LORD God will help me.  Who will condemn me?” (Isaiah 50:9a)
• “But let all who seek you rejoice and be glad in your saving help say again and again, ‘God is great!’”  (Psalm 70:4) 

The reading from Hebrews calls to mind “a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us.”  As Easter people, we are told to “fix our eyes on Jesus, faith’s pioneer and perfecter.  He endured the cross, ignoring the shame, for the sake of the joy that was laid out in front of him, and sat down at the right side of God’s throne.”  (Hebrews 3:1b, 2)

The disciples, however, were not Easter people – yet.  John’s Gospel reading describes the beginning of the sorrow and despair soon to befall Jesus and His followers:

• “After he said these things, Jesus was deeply disturbed and testified, ‘I assure you, one of you will betray me.’  His disciples looked at each other, confused about which of them he was talking about.  One of the disciples, the one whom Jesus loved was at Jesus’ side.  Simon Peter nodded at him to get him to ask Jesus who he was talking about.  Leaning back toward Jesus, this disciple asked, ‘Lord, who is it?’ 

Jesus answered, ‘It’s the one to whom I will give this piece of bread once I have dipped it into the bowl.’  Then he dipped the piece of bread and gave it to Judas, Simon Iscariot’s son.  After Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him.  Jesus told him, ‘What you are about to do, do quickly.’  No one sitting at the table understood why Jesus said this to him.  Some thought that since Judas kept the money bag, Jesus told him, ‘Go, buy what we need for the feast,’ or that he should give something to the poor.  So when Judas took the bread, he left immediately.  And it was night.”  (John 13:21-30)

“And it was night.”  That simple sentence has stayed with me, disturbing me. John offers no light in this passage to offset the darkness about to overtake Jesus and His followers. There is no parable to take the edge off.   There is no “I am…” passage to tamp down the foreboding feeling.  Only “And it was night.”

• “When Judas was gone, Jesus said, ‘Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him.  If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify the Son of Man in himself and will glorify him immediately.’”  (John 13:31-32) 

How very thankful I am that we are Easter people. The despair and sorrow of those three days must give special meaning to how we respond to them. The mercy was indeed severe, but the followers were strengthened through their devotion to our Lord.  We should cherish the words of these Scriptures, which demonstrate the devotion, commitment, and love each and every faithful servant had for God and serving His purpose in their lives.  Every passage tells us we are never alone in serving our God.  We have “a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us” and a glorified Savior, Who intercedes on our behalf.  “Look, the LORD God will help me.  Who will condemn me?”

Loving God,
We offer our prayer to be faithful in completing the journey with courage, demonstrating the love of Christ for everyone, the determination of Christ to endure the hardships, and the strength of Christ to carry us forward when we fall. Please accept our willingness to be faithful servants, especially during this time of grave uncertainty.    Strengthen our faith, remove our excuses, and may we know Your loving presence always.  Amen.

Linda Summers