Prayer for Illumination
Come, Thou everlasting Spirit,
Bring to every thankful mind
All the Savior’s dying merit,
All His sufferings for mankind:
True Recorder of His passion,
Now the living faith impart,
Now reveal His great salvation,
Preach His gospel to our heart.
—Charles and John Wesley, Hymns on
the Lord’s Supper #16 vs. 1
Mark
15:16-18
The
soldiers took Him away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium), and they
called together the whole Roman cohort. They dressed Him up in purple, and
after twisting a crown of thorns, they put it on Him; and they began to acclaim
Him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” NASB
1
Peter 2:21-25
For
you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you,
leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, who committed no sin,
nor was any deceit found in His mouth, and while being reviled, He did not
revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting
Himself to Him who judges righteously; and He Himself bore our sins in His body
on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His
wounds you were healed. For you were continually straying like sheep, but now
you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls. NASB
When
we see all he did for us, our perspective must shift. When we see the crown of
thorns, our complaints must pass away. Yes, we suffer—but he suffered more, on
our behalf, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. BR
“I
have of late felt very poorly in body; and have had a degree of dullness
hanging on my spirit: but I fly to the Lord; I wrestle with him. And O! how he
opens his heaven of love afresh in my soul, by giving me unspeakable views of
what Jesus suffered in the body for me! and the love and sympathy he still
feels to every suffering member. I have felt of late a deepening of the graces
of faith, resignation, and entire dependence on God. —Hester Ann Rogers (1756-1794), Journal entry from the final
months of her life
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