Devotion
Don’t cry. Jesus is risen!
David Jacobs
My best friend died when I was 21. He died of cancer even though he was given a high chance of survival. I was devastated, blaming myself and also blaming God. "How could God do this to him?" I wondered. In my pain and grief, other ideas began to emerge: "How lucky were we to have met each other? Would I have wanted it any other way?"
Losing a loved one can be a crushing blow. We all fear the unknown and are sad to think that the warm person we once knew is not a cold body, nothing more than flesh and bone. Similar to I thought with my friend, Jesus' death was a tragedy, but would you have wanted his life to have been any different? His life was a blessing for all of us, one that we are all indebted to him for. Be comforted by the words of Jesus, as Mary Magdalene was. He has ascended to Heaven with his Father, the prophecy has been fulfilled, and we have been saved. Thanks be to God!
Prayer
Holy Lord, God of power and light, I am humbled by your sacrifices for me, a lowly servant. I ask that you utilize me in any way you see fit, for I long to be like your son, Jesus Christ, bringing light to the world. Comfort those that are mourning, my God, for their hearts may weigh heavy and need your support. Help me to recognize anyone that may be going through difficult times, so I may lend an ear, a shoulder, or a heart for them. In your name I pray, Amen.
Devotion
Abraham is Father of All
Frances Taylor
There are questions in every age about the importance of the Old Testament for Christians. Abraham is considered to be the Father of Faith for Jews, Christians and Muslims. We forget that it was Abraham who believed in the doctrine of only one God. It is through him and his descendants that this tradition comes down to us. Another fact that we can overlook is that Jesus was Jewish. He was born a Jew, lived as a Jew, died, rose and ascended into heaven as a Jew. Because we believe that he was the Messiah, the Christ, and we follow him, we are called Christian. Without the Old Testament, we wouldn't understand the promise of salvation; we wouldn't understand why it was important for Jesus to be of the family of King David. We would not understand his teaching either, because Jesus quoted from Scripture – the Old Testament – frequently. He told us that he came to fulfill the Scriptures, not to abolish them. In the same way, we can ...
