Wednesday’s Devotion: Precious yet Fragile

Matthew 20:17-19  Now Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. On the way, he took the Twelve aside and said to them, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!”

During the season of Lent we removed the brass cross and candlesticks from the altar table and replaced them with wooden ones. Unlike our oil-filled candles the wax ones burned down.  Sunday a member who was preparing the altar for Holy Communion told me she didn’t put new candles in because she felt the burned down candles represented the shortening of Jesus’ time left on earth. I am so happy when people make connections like that.  It means that they are finding a real link between the bible and what is going on in this day and in their life.  On Good Friday we will try to imagine what it would have been like for Jesus to face the knowledge that his death was near.  Today a friend and neighbor is in ICU in critical condition.  A few days ago no one would have ever thought it would be this way.  Life is fragile, our candles are always burning down and although we can slow or speed the course, we know the final outcome.  Thanks be to our creator God that because of his Son, when these flames go out, a new bright one will shine in heaven. 

Blessed Lord, we ask your comfort as we pray for a loved one.  Help us to see the frailty of our own life and make the most of all the time we have, both for our own enjoyment and the growth of the Kingdom.  We ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.