Lenten Devotion for Maundy Thursday

April 13, 2006

“Who would you rather be: the one who eats the dinner or the one who serves the dinner? You’d rather eat and be served, right? But I’ve taken my place among you as the one who serves. And you’ve stuck with me through thick and thin. Now I confer on you the royal authority my Father conferred on me so you can eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and be strengthened as you take up responsibilities among the congregations of God’s people.

“Simon, stay on your toes. Satan has tried his best to separate all of you from me, like chaff from wheat. Simon, I’ve prayed for you in particular that you not give in or give out. When you have come through the time of testing, turn to your companions and give them a fresh start.” Luke 22.27-32, The Message

Rocks are not meant to be airborne. As Sancho Panza says in Man of La Mancha, “Whether the stone hits the pitcher or the pitcher hits the stone, it’s bad for the pitcher.” The same goes for the human skull! One day when I was little, I inexplicably lobbed a rock at a neighbor child, clipped him on the head, and sent him inside his house bleeding and flabbergasted. I didn’t even have a personal grudge against him. He was simply the kid on the block “we” didn’t like. (There was more than a little “group think” in my action.)

It took Satan no effort to separate me from Jesus that day. I am still ashamed to look back at that sad episode and remember no struggle within myself about whether to launch the sneak attack. I saw the opportunity and did it. Period. I was horrified afterwards, when I eyewitnessed the consequence of my actions. Aren’t we always?? Satan didn’t even break a sweat to waylay me. I made it so very easy. I cooperated fully. I came along gladly. I thought it was my own idea and I was proud of it. Temporarily.

The New Revised Standard Version of this passage quotes Jesus as saying, “Simon, Simon, listen! Satan has demanded to sift all of you like wheat….” An image comes to mind of being shaken till my brains are addled. But usually when I’m tempted I’m not feeling like a sock at the mercy of the agitator in my washing machine. Instead I’m feeling pretty darn good. Typically I’m not aware there’s a tug of war going on between Jesus and Satan. For all the world it looks like I’m just staking a claim on what I want.

Insert your own name: “_________, stay on your toes. Satan is trying his best to separate you from Me, like chaff from wheat. _________, I’ve prayed for you in particular that you not give in or give out.” Wow, Jesus has prayed for you and is praying for you still. You’re on Jesus’ Intercessory Prayer list! He knows you by name; He knows your temptations by heart. He recognizes every one for what it is, even if you don’t. Despite His efforts, rocks will sometimes become airborne. Then Jesus’ gift of intercession becomes the gift of forgiveness. “When you have come through the time of testing, turn to your companions and give them a fresh start.” Through being forgiven ourselves, we receive the power (rooted in humility and gratitude) to forgive others.

Let us pray.

Merciful Father,

We bless you for our great high priest, the Lord Jesus, who is both priestly intercessor and paschal Lamb. He died for us on Calvary and now intercedes for us on high. Strengthen us to resist temptation and make us Spirit-ed followers of the Way. Amen

Pastor Mary Virginia Olson

bluiris27@msn.com