Monday, March 31, 2014

Lenten devotions: April 16, 2014

April 16, 2014                         Isaiah 50:4-9a
Wednesday in Holy Week       Psalm 70
                                                Hebrews 12:1-3
                                                John 13:21-32

Thomas a Kempis is best-known for his imitation of Christ. We are all simultaneously saints and sinners. As such we find salvation through God’s grace and forgiveness. I connect immediately to the prophet’s statement that the Lord has given us the tongue of a teacher. Our great model is the precious Savior who is our brother as well as our teacher. When I began as a public school teacher I found it a tremendous culture shock. University teaching was far different. There was no conflict, no day-to-day backbiting, nor obstacles between you and the disseminating of information. In the public arena, many positioned themselves against me almost at once. Experiencing despair, I relied heavily on my relation to Christ and prized His guidance and support. Within a relatively short time, friendships turned into spiritual support. I encountered the great cloud of witnesses Paul speaks of who ministered unto me and held me up in my spiritual crises. Two sisters from the Adventist Church were, and are, great allies and their prayerful support during my illness was a tremendous comfort. The Lord our God is always at hand, even in our darkest hours and even when the betrayer clouds our vision of the prize, the Holy Spirit is there to guide and uplift us, delivering us from the darkness.

Dear Lord, Jesus, thank you for being my teacher, my guide, and my comfort in times of trouble.

Franklyn Commisso



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