Today is Maundy Thursday, the day we remember the “Last Supper.”

As Christians, we typically think about the Last Supper as when our modern day Holy Communion was first instituted. However, what Jesus and the disciples were doing, was celebrating Passover, which was the day the Jews remembered God saving them from the Angel of Death in Egypt; the last plague before Moses led them out of Egypt. That day in Egypt, the Jews painted the blood of a lamb on their door posts as a sign of the agreement with God that the angel of death would “pass over” their homes safely. The first born in houses without the blood on the door posts was killed.

Mark 14:23-24 writes, “And he [Jesus] took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. And he said to them, “This is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice for many.”

At that passover meal, Jesus instituted a new tradition that we use today to remember how the blood of Jesus saves us also from death, eternal death.

Dear Lord, We thank you for the wonderful gift you gave us in Holy Communion, reminding us of the new agreement, “Salvation,” you give us if we accept Jesus Christ. What an amazing agreement. You save us, all we have to do is accept it. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Have you ever wondered why we are here some 2000 years after Jesus was on earth, and when he and the apostles spoke and wrote about Jesus returning for “Judgment Day?” The apostles would preach about the end coming soon, 2000 years ago.

The Bible is clear that no one knows when the end will come, but Peter writes a little about why we are still waiting.

In 2 Peter 3:8-9, Peter writes, “But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day.The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.”

God does not want anyone to be lost and is giving more time for people to repent and come to him. Which also means he is giving us, God’s voice on earth, more time to bring his message to those not yet saved.

Dear Lord, Help us remember that we are not just here on earth for our own entertainment, we are here to glorify you, and to bring your message to others. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

“How you think determines how you feel.” I don’t know where I first heard this, but excluding injuries and illnesses, I believe it.

Controlling how you think takes work and practice, but if you control how you think about things, you can control how you feel. For example, what if on one of those days when the bills were stacked up and you had no idea how you would cover them all, the Fedex person delivered you a package notifying you that you just inherited a fortune from an unknown relative. Do you think you would feel better? Nothing physically changed in this instance, you just looked at things differently and changed your thoughts and your feelings.

Another way I have heard this concept described is, “Events don’t have a meaning until we give them a meaning.” What we allow ourselves to think when something occurs gives the event a meaning to us.

In a similar way, Solomon wrote in Proverbs 15:15, “For the despondent, every day brings trouble; for the happy heart, life is a continual feast.” NLT

Dear Lord, Thank you for the incredible opportunities you have given us to appreciate your creation and those around us. Help us put our trust and confidence in you so that we may have a “happy heart” and enjoy all that we have. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Most of us know the basics of the story of Job. Job was a faithful and wealthy man in the Old Testament. God allowed Satan to bring tragedy to Job, and he lost his family, fortune, and health. Through the book, Job attempts to understand why this tragedy was occurring, and his friends come up with a variety of theories why this is happening to Job. Though they cannot figure it out, Job remains faithful. However, as the suffering continues, Job begins complaining and questioning why God would let this happen to him, when he didn’t do anything to deserve it.

Finally a young man Elihu speaks up and tells Job, in my words, “Yes you are having a rough time, but stop complaining. God doesn’t owe you, and it is arrogant for you to think that being good is some kind of gift to God”

In Job 35:12 he tells Job, “And when they [the oppressed] cry out, God does not answer because of their pride.”

We cannot know why God chooses to let us or others experience bad things, and we cannot think if we do good, somehow God is obligated to give us what we want. We should do good out of love and obedience, regardless of the consequences.

At the same time, however, Elihu continued in Job 36:15, “But by means of their suffering, he [God] rescues those who suffer. For he gets their attention through adversity.”

When we experience tragedies, we need to come closer to God, searching for his comfort and guidance. Elihu’s comments are a valuable message for us all, particularly when we suffer. Take some time to read Job 32-37. It is full of relevant lessons for us today.

Dear Lord, We know you love us, but help us not forget that you are God and we are not. We cannot understand the complexities of your plan, or the reasons for events in our lives and the world. Help us trust you and draw closer to you in adversity, and teach others to do the same. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

It is amazing how much has changed in the broadcasting and internet content businesses in the last several years. There are hundreds of television channels available, hundreds of satellite radio channels, you can find a video on Youtube of almost anything, and there seems to be a podcast for just about any area of interest you might have.

For Christians, the great thing about this proliferation of information is the amazing opportunity we have to learn more about God’s word. Some of the best and most insightful preachers and Bible teachers are available to you on these media, if you look. Ultimately it is through more exposure that we learn and grow our faith.

Paul writes in Romans 10:17, “So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.”

These technology alternatives are fantastic, but they cannot take the place of finding a “home church” where you feel comfortable and connected to other believers, and can worship, pray, confess, and commune with them.

Dear Lord, thank you for the incredible blessings of technology that allow your word to be spread and heard by more and more people. Help us take advantage of these technologies to strengthen our knowledge and faith. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.