3 Minute Read
Prepare Your Heart
To the best of your ability, get rid of all distractions. Take a few minutes to breathe deeply and quiet yourself in the Lord’s presence. Then, ask the Lord to speak to you in this time. Let Him know that you will listen and make whatever adjustments He will reveal to you.
Read God’s Word
A Verse for Today
Slowly and reflectively read the following verse(s) and listen to what God will say to you through His written Word. Consider writing down any insights He reveals to you.
Luke 22:63-65 (CSB): “The men who were holding Jesus started mocking and beating him. After blindfolding him, they kept asking, ‘Prophesy! Who was it that hit you?’ And they were saying many other blasphemous things to him.”
Reflecting on God’s Word
One attribute of human nature is that we can easily become desensitized. Something that was so abhorrent to us may not bother us much after we are repeatedly exposed to it over time.
Christians may observe this in their own lives when reading about how Jesus was treated and what He experienced before and during His crucifixion.
Imagine how helpless, angry, and deeply saddened you would be if some thugs took one of your loved ones and beat them in front of you. Then, they blindfolded them and repeatedly hit them. Rather than express any remorse over their actions, they mocked your loved one as they writhed in pain.
That’s what thugs did to Jesus in the verse I have chosen for today. And that was only a small portion of how they brutalized Him before He even set eyes upon the cross on which He would hang. And yet, so many of us have read about it so many times that it doesn’t cause us to grieve like maybe it once did.
Let’s do something right now. If you are willing, I’d like you to stop reading (I’ll even bring this devotion to an end to help you with that). Re-read the verses I chose for today. Then, close your eyes, and use your God-given imagination to “see” the events take place in front of you. Watch as Jesus was mocked and beaten. Watch as a bag is quickly thrown over His head, and He is mercilessly hit and then mocked again.
Close your eyes now and spend a minute or two visualizing Luke 22:63-65.
I’m not kidding. I think you would benefit from this. Close your eyes right now and “see” Luke 22:63-65.
(Visualize Luke 22:63-65)
What did you see? How does what you saw make you feel? What does it tell you about what Jesus was willing to do for you in order to pay your sin debt and make you right in God’s eyes?
Spend Time in Prayer
- Ask God to help you feel the weight of what Jesus did to secure your forgiveness and salvation.
- Ask God to help you be truly grateful for what Jesus did for you.
- Express your gratitude.
Going Deeper
If you want to dig a little deeper into what Jesus endured for you and me, consider reading the following GotQuestions article:
“Why did Jesus say, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?'”
Sharing
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Matt Ellis is the pastor of First Baptist Church in Polk City, Florida (fbcpolkcity.com)
Matt’s Musings 