Thought for March 18, 2024

•  1612: Bartholomew Legate is the last person burned to death in England for his religious opinions
• 1662: First public bus service begins--Paris
• 1791: Robert Burns publishes "Tam O' Shanter"
• 1818: Congress approves pensions for government service
• 1850: Henry Wells and William Fargo form American Express
• 1881: Barnum & Bailey's "Greatest Show on Earth" opens at Madison Square Garden--company closes in 2017
• 1892: Lord Stanley presents a silver cup for the hockey championship
• 1922: Gandhi sentenced to 6 years in prison for disobedience
• 1931: First electric shavers go on sale--Schick
• 1942: FDR creates War Relocation Authority--Japanese internment
• 1952: First plastic lens for cataract patient fitted
• 1953: NL approves Boston Braves move to Milwaukee
• 1965: Poppin Fresh Pillsbury Dough Boy introduced; Alexey Leonov is the first to walk in space
• 2005: Terry Schiavo's feeding tube removed
• 2018: First fatal accident involving a self-driving car
• 2020: US-Canadian border closed to all non-essential travel--Covid
• Born: John C Calhoun, Grover Cleveland, Rudolph Diesel, Cluny MacPherson [invented gas mask], Peter Graves, George Plimpton, John Updike, Charley Pride, Wilson Pickett, Ben Cohen [Ben & Jerry's], Vanessa Williams, Bonnie Blair, Queen Latifah, Brian Griese
• Died: Johnny Appleseed, Catherine Marshall [wife of Peter Marshall], Natasha Richardson, Fess Parker, Chuck Berry

Thought:

We are two weeks from Easter, March 31 this year. How are you preparing for Easter? Planning the lunch, getting the clothes, buying Easter eggs for the grandchildren. Maybe you are planning on attending various events--Palm Sunday concert, Good Friday worship, sunrise service? May I suggest we open the Bible and read about Passion Week. What important truths does Jesus want to reveal this week. I plan to use Luke's account over the next two weeks to see what the Lord might say to me.

Have you noticed how much of the Gospels is devoted to this one week--Luke 19:28-24:12; John 12:1-20:25; Matthew 21:1-28:15; Mark 11:1-16:13. Years ago Lifeway's Winter Bible Study was called "The Greatest Week in History." What does Jesus have to say to me now.

Reading Luke 19:28-20:8 where I find two stories. The first is the provision of a colt for the triumphal entry as predicted by Zechariah 9:9. Notice:

• Jesus tells the disciples where to find the colt and gives them a command--"bring it here." Jesus also anticipates questions and objections that the disciples might face in fulfilling His command--say "The Lord has need of it." The disciples follow the instructions, encounter the questions, respond as directed and bring the colt to Jesus. 
• I learn from this story--Jesus prepares for me. He prepares a place for me in heaven, but He also goes before me here and prepares for my needs when I walk in obedience. He knew where the colt was. Jesus provides for me---He never commands me to do something that He does not supply the resources to complete. So if He calls me to serve, He provides everything need--I have no excuses. When He calls me to love; He has sufficient love to pour out through me if I allow. He will provide all my needs through Christ Jesus and His riches in glory. 
• The problem is always my faith and obedience. Acting on His commands never fails unless my obedience or faith fail--He never fails. 

A second story follows the cleansing of the Temple. Jesus is preaching and teaching and the chief priests, scribes and elders confront Him. Look at 20:2--"By what authority" are You doing these things? Today, Jesus asks me, who is the authority in your life, Larry? To whom do you yield as the author and authority of life? Whose plan are you following? Whose words are you listening to? Whose praise do you seek? Maybe that's the connection between the stories--the disciples knew who had authority and acted. Who is my authority? 

Blessings

Larry