In the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim, 2 these kings made war with Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar). 3 And all these joined forces in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Salt Sea). 4 Twelve years they had served Chedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled. 5 In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him came and defeated the Rephaim in Ashteroth-karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Emim in Shaveh-kiriathaim, 6 and the Horites in their hill country of Seir as far as El-paran on the border of the wilderness. 7 Then they turned back and came to En-mishpat (that is, Kadesh) and defeated all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites who were dwelling in Hazazon-tamar.
 
8 Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) went out, and they joined battle in the Valley of Siddim 9 with Chedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goiim, Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar, four kings against five. 10 Now the Valley of Siddim was full of bitumen pits, and as the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some fell into them, and the rest fled to the hill country.11 So the enemy took all the possessions of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their provisions, and went their way. 12 They also took Lot, the son of Abram's brother, who was dwelling in Sodom, and his possessions, and went their way.
 
13 Then one who had escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew, who was living by the oaks of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and of Aner. These were allies of Abram. 14 When Abram heard that his kinsman had been taken captive, he led forth his trained men, born in his house, 318 of them, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. 15 And he divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and defeated them and pursued them to Hobah, north of Damascus. 16 Then he brought back all the possessions, and also brought back his kinsman Lot with his possessions, and the women and the people.
 
Abram Blessed by Melchizedek
17 After his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley). 18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.)19 And he blessed him and said,
 
“Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; 20 and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!”
 
And Abram gave him a tenth of everything. 21 And the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, but take the goods for yourself.” 22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have lifted my hand to the Lord, God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth, 23 that I would not take a thread or a sandal strap or anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’ 24 I will take nothing but what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went with me. Let Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre take their share.”
 
Meditation
An atheist friend once asked me why I prayed before meals. “I need to give credit where credit is due,” I said.  Praying over the meal was posturing my heart for gratitude and asking blessing from the One who provided. I gave thanks for my food and prayed for my friend, too.
 
Warring kings kidnapped Lot (1-12) and his uncle, Abram, went to rescue him (13-16). Upon return from the victory Abram encountered one of the most mysterious men in scripture, Melchizedek, and demonstrates one of the most fundamental disciplines of a grateful heart, namely tithing.
 
Melchizedek is the king of righteousness and peace (Hebrews 7:2) from an eternal priesthood. (Psalm 110:4) He fundamentally points to Jesus Christ who will usher in a better covenant. (Hebrews 7:19-25) This priest of the most High God (18) blessed Abram. Abram realized the victory and spoils came from the Lord because the Lord is the possessor of Heaven and earth (19,22).
 
Jesus is a greater High Priest who lives forever to intercede for His people (Hebrews 7:25) and Jesus has given us a greater rescue than Lot’s through defeating the power and penalty of sin. The Possessor of everything has given us victory through Christ! And continues to give all the security and stability we need. Even more than we give thanks for our food, we must respond to His rescue with a heart overflowing with gratitude.
 
During this difficult economic season be sure to respond to the rescue of Christ with a heart of gratitude demonstrated in tithing. Respond to God’s grace by honoring the Lord as possessor of all!
 
Richly Dwelling
-Jesus Christ has rescued His people from the power and penalty of sin through His life, death, and resurrection on our behalf. Generally speaking, what does a heart of gratitude look like for the believer?
 
-One of the basic signs of a heart of gratitude is tithing, returning 10% of all that has been given to you to the One who possesses all. Do you tithe? Should you begin, even now?
 
-Cool side note- Abram had a group of trained men ready to rescue! (14) There is a meditation for men’s ministry here but for now we must continue our trek through the Bible.
 
Key Verse
20 …and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!”
And Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

​Have you ever been to watch a favorite sports team play an away game, where you and a few lone fans are cheering for the visiting team in a sea of fans for the home team? If so, you can identify with how the situation compels you to show your colors more, representing your team with more fervor and fever. A true fan will never compromise the colors because you are on away turf.
 
Today’s crisis feels like an away game for many Christians as we are shaken out of our sanctuaries into the stay and shelter strategy adopted to flatten the COVID19 curve. Will we cultivate or curb our enthusiasm for Christ? Will we be self-preserving or participate in gospel advancement? Will our neighbors see a distinction in our lives and love, drawn to the worship of God?  Will our churches be fuller on Sunday mornings after the crisis, with new worshippers of Jesus?
 
Distinction draws worshippers
The book of Daniel brings to mind felt board stories of the lion’s den and fiery furnace. For the purpose of diving into conversation on irresistible faith we will focus on the distinction leading to the dilemma of the familiar stories.
 
Taken from their home field and sent into exile @ 586 BC, Daniel and his friends were in the foreign land of Babylon. They could have compromised their faith and accommodated to the dominate culture to win favor and comfort but the identity of Daniel and his friends was rooted deeper than self-preservation.
 
The distinction of Daniel and his friends is seen in three clear ways: In chapter 1 Daniel refrains from Babylonian food. In chapter 3 Daniel and his friends refuse to worship the authority and power of Babylon, bowing in worship to the Lord alone. Finally, in chapter 6, the pressure from the foreign king to stop praying to the Lord compelled a deeper fervency from Daniel and his friends to pray to the Lord alone.
 
Dwelling with distinction from the dominant culture is used by the Divine to draw new worshippers to Himself. Daniel’s witness is empowered by the Spirit of God, stewarded as stabilizer for leaders seeking to interpret dreams (2) and discern the times. (5) God’s Spirit will always empower the witness of His people.
 
The distinction of Daniel and his friends was the driving force in the advancement of God’s Kingdom during their time in exile. Psalm 137:4 portrays the distinction with song, asking how long God’s people will sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land. The Psalmist’s question and the narrative of Daniel challenge God’s people today to continue singing the Lord’s song with our lives and love, worshipping outside our sanctuaries and in our neighborhoods, not curbing our enthusiasm for Jesus Christ.
 
Lives of sacrifice in a culture of self-preservation
Our neighbors long for security and stability due to the uncertainty of this COVID19 storm more than the people in Babylon did during the away game of exile for Daniel and his friends. Christians today can confidently sow seeds of hope in fertile fields as we have the security of a sovereign Shepherd who is with us, leading us, and working this storm for our good and His glory. Christians have stability on the Rock of Jesus Christ, His work and teaching, and this storm will make us stronger. In view of this mercy we are free to live lives of sacrifice in worship to God and service to others.
 
The uncertainty of our COVID19 storm is exposing the culture’s propensity to be self-preserving.  People are stock piling everything from toilet paper to weapons. Christians are certain of God’s faithfulness and have a never-ending stockpile of His promises and love. When we feast on God’s covenant faithfulness through Jesus Christ and fast from the fear our culture is feeding on, then worship and prayer will flow freely from our hearts and love will flow naturally from our lips and our lives. What does this distinction look like?
 
Self-preservation or Sacrificial Serving: Members of our church had a child within the last year. Rather than retreat in fear they are living lives of worship through sharing and serving. Through a local ministry partner they have adopted a teen mom whose needs are growing faster than the rate of recorded corona infection in the US. Their new little one is helping mom and dad take diapers and supplies to their teen mom friend.
 
Self-protection or Radical Generosity: This week I saw radical generosity of time and resources being put into action by Christians. University students home from school serving front line health workers by babysitting their children forced home by school closures. Churches buying lunches for staff of non-profits serving on the front lines with homeless and the poor, propping up local restaurants at the same time. Families seeking to provide meals for homes in the city with food insecurity. And I spoke with several well-resourced individuals who are strategically increasing their giving to increase hope and security through non-profits working in upstream solutions.
 
Self-promotion or Service through social networking:  I am hearing story after story of people finding strength through calling others to check in and pray for them and sharing hope through imaginative postings in various forms of social media. Christians are flooding social media networking with hope and love.
 
Distinction draws people to Christ- Will ours?
The point is NOT “be like Daniel!” as Daniel and his friends were sinful people just like us. But wisdom compels us to see how their dwelling with distinction was used by the Lord to draw worshippers to Himself and point to the person of ultimate distinction, Jesus Christ.
 
Jesus was fully human but led His divine life of love with the upmost sacrifice and service. Jesus dwelled among humanity with distinction, rather than being a self-serving King, He suffered to the point of death on a cross so believers can find life in Him. Jesus lost all self-preservation so we can have security in the love of the Father. Jesus loved us with radical generosity, while we were infected with sin, so we can love others with radical generosity during this storm of infection.
 
Will our churches be fuller on Sunday mornings with new worshippers of Jesus when this storm passes? Time will tell whether or not our Father is pleased to draw new worshippers to Jesus. (John 6:44) We can only seek to sow seed as passionately as the Lord allows, hoping the Spirit empowers our witness. Remain secure in the shepherding care of the Lord as you find stability in the person and work of Jesus. From this mercy we must dwell with distinction by living lives of worship through sacrifice and service. May God be pleased to draw new worshippers to Himself.
 
More mercy.

The oracle concerning Babylon which Isaiah the son of Amoz  saw. 2 On a bare hill raise a signal; cry aloud to them; wave the hand for them to enter the gates of the nobles. 3 I myself have commanded my consecrated ones and have summoned my mighty men to execute my anger, my proudly exulting ones.
4 The sound of a tumult is on the mountains as of a great multitude! The sound of an uproar of kingdoms, of nations gathering together! The Lord of hosts is mustering a host for battle. 5 They come from a distant land, from the end of the heavens,
the Lord and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land. 6 Wail, for the day of the Lord is near; as destruction from the Almighty it will come!
7 Therefore all hands will be feeble, and every human heart will melt. 8 They will be dismayed: pangs and agony will seize them; they will be in anguish like a woman in labor. They will look aghast at one another; their faces will be aflame. 9 Behold, the day of the Lord comes, cruel, with wrath and fierce anger, to make the land a desolation and to destroy its sinners from it.
10 For the stars of the heavens and their constellations will not give their light;
the sun will be dark at its rising, and the moon will not shed its light. 11 I will punish the world for its evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; I will put an end to the pomp of the arrogant, and lay low the pompous pride of the ruthless. 12 I will make people more rare than fine gold, and mankind than the gold of Ophir.
13 Therefore I will make the heavens tremble, and the earth will be shaken out of its place, at the wrath of the Lord of hosts in the day of his fierce anger. 14 And like a hunted gazelle, or like sheep with none to gather them, each will turn to his own people, and each will flee to his own land. 15 Whoever is found will be thrust through, and whoever is caught will fall by the sword.
16 Their infants will be dashed in pieces before their eyes; their houses will be plundered and their wives ravished. 17 Behold, I am stirring up the Medes against them, who have no regard for silver and do not delight in gold. 18 Their bows will slaughter the young men; they will have no mercy on the fruit of the womb; their eyes will not pity children.
19 And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the splendor and pomp of the Chaldeans, will be like Sodom and Gomorrah when God overthrew them. 20 It will never be inhabited or lived in for all generations; no Arab will pitch his tent there; no shepherds will make their flocks lie down there. 21 But wild animals will lie down there, and their houses will be full of howling creatures; there ostriches will dwell, and there wild goats will dance. 22 Hyenas will cry in its towers, and jackals in the pleasant palaces; its time is close at hand and its days will not be prolonged.
 
Meditation
Headlines can lead to heartache or hopefulness. Recently our world has experienced more of the former but today’s chapter, though dense with judgment, is a headline of hope for those whose trust is in the Lord.
 
“On a bare hill raise a signal…” cries the prophet. The headline, the message, is that judgment is coming on the enemies of God’s people, namely the nation of Babylon in this historical context. God has summoned mighty men (3) for destruction of His enemies, (6) punishment of the proud and evil, (11) to overthrow earthly glory (19).
 
“Signal” is a word used most recently in Isaiah as the headline for the hope of the promise of God to be fulfilled through Immanuel (11:10, 12). In Psalm 60:4 and Exodus 17:15-16 the word means banner and the headline reads, “victory and belovedness” for the people of God. In Numbers 21:8 the word is part of the hope and salvation for Israel as they sought to survive the fiery serpents.
 
“The signal” is one headline meaning two different things, both judgment on evil and the enemies of God and hope and security for those who belong to God. Jesus is lifted up as the ultimate signal (John 3:14-16) and whether you believe in Him determines how the headline will read.
 
You will check many headlines today in an effort to stay up on the news. Do not lose sight of the heavenly headline of hope, the signal of the Father’s love who came that whoever believes in Jesus will never die. There is salvation for those who believe!
 
Richly Dwelling
-What headlines are grabbing your attention right now? Why?
 
-Do you understand how the heavenly headline, God’s signal of salvation, can be both good news and bad news at the same time, depending on whether you believe in God’s provision of salvation?
 
-Do you believe? If so, whom do you know who does not believe? You literally have the opportunity to change the headline for someone, from bad news to good news, when you share the gospel with someone who needs to hear it.  Go make headlines!
 
Key Verse
On a bare hill raise a signal; cry aloud to them; wave the hand for them to enter the gates of the nobles.

How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? 2 How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?
3 Consider and answer me, O Lord my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death, 4 lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,”  lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.
5 But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. 6 I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.
 
Meditation
We are in a season of history with more questions than answers: How long will we practice social distancing to flatten the curve of COVID19?  What is God doing in our world? How can I help those infected and those on the front lines in healthcare? What will be the extent of the impact? When will the NBA season resume?!?
 
Only the Word of God gives us language for life in this broken world, moving us from honesty with life to hope in our sovereign God.
 
The question, “How long?!” is repeated four times in six verses. Has God forgotten His people? Is He hiding His face? Is the enemy winning? The Psalmist’s bold approach in prayer to the Lord (3-4) is the vehicle moving the Psalmist from questions to certainty in God and His sovereignty. The final two verses demonstrate the Psalmist trusting in God’s steadfast love, rejoicing in salvation from his heart, and singing to the Lord for His blessing. (5-6)
 
Psalm 13 is a ”lament,” what Chris Wright calls, “a voice of faith crying out in a time of unanswered questions and unmentionable suffering.” The prophet Habakkuk illustrates the right use of Psalm 13 as he begins his oracle with the Psalmist’s question, “How Long?!?” and concludes in singing of God’s salvation and sovereignty. (Habakkuk 3:17-19)
 
During this season of questions we must allow Scripture to give us language for our lives, refocusing the eyes of our hearts on the person and promises of God. He is faithful to His promises! And when we are honest with our questions, faithfully engaging the Lord in prayer, then we will be moved to sing of His salvation and sovereignty. Will you join the chorus?
 
Richly Dwelling
-What are your major questions arising from our current circumstances?
 
-How can you boldly take these questions to the Lord, demanding an answer as the Psalmist did in vs 4?
 
-When you are honest with the Lord in prayer take note of how He graciously re-orients the eyes of your heart to focus on His faithfulness. The Lord is sovereign! You can trust His steadfast love! How can you join the chorus of His song of salvation during this season?
 
Key Verse
How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?
 
Scripture and Song version with Callan Brown HERE

Saul lived for one year and then became king, and when he had reigned for two years over Israel, 2 Saul chose three thousand men of Israel. Two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and the hill country of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. The rest of the people he sent home, every man to his tent. 3 Jonathan defeated the garrison of the Philistines that was at Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear.” 4 And all Israel heard it said that Saul had defeated the garrison of the Philistines, and also that Israel had become a stench to the Philistines. And the people were called out to join Saul at Gilgal.
5 And the Philistines mustered to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen and troops like the sand on the seashore in multitude. They came up and encamped in Michmash, to the east of Beth-aven. 6 When the men of Israel saw that they were in trouble (for the people were hard pressed), the people hid themselves in caves and in holes and in rocks and in tombs and in cisterns, 7 and some Hebrews crossed the fords of the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. Saul was still at Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.
 
Saul's Unlawful Sacrifice
8 He waited seven days, the time appointed by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the people were scattering from him. 9 So Saul said, “Bring the burnt offering here to me, and the peace offerings.” And he offered the burnt offering. 10 As soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came. And Saul went out to meet him and greet him. 11 Samuel said, “What have you done?” And Saul said, “When I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines had mustered at Michmash, 12 I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of the Lord.’ So I forced myself, and offered the burnt offering.” 13 And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the command of the Lord your God, with which he commanded you. For then the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. 14 But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.” 15 And Samuel arose and went up from Gilgal. The rest of the people went up after Saul to meet the army; they went up from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin.
 And Saul numbered the people who were present with him, about six hundred men. 16 And Saul and Jonathan his son and the people who were present with them stayed in Geba of Benjamin, but the Philistines encamped in Michmash. 17 And raiders came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies. One company turned toward Ophrah, to the land of Shual;18 another company turned toward Beth-horon; and another company turned toward the border that looks down on the Valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.
19 Now there was no blacksmith to be found throughout all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, “Lest the Hebrews make themselves swords or spears.” 20 But every one of the Israelites went down to the Philistines to sharpen his plowshare, his mattock, his axe, or his sickle, 21 and the charge was two-thirds of a shekel for the plowshares and for the mattocks, and a third of a shekel for sharpening the axes and for setting the goads. 22 So on the day of the battle there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people with Saul and Jonathan, but Saul and Jonathan his son had them. 23 And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the pass of Michmash.
 
Meditation
Do not allow difficult circumstances to fuel feelings running contrary to the facts of God’s faithfulness, causing you to compromise your faith. A key mentor in my life used to tell me, “Mitchell, feelings are good but you cannot always trust your feelings. When you have hypothermia you feel physically tired but if you do not stay awake to keep your body warm you will die. You cannot always trust your feelings.”
 
King Saul had just won a battle (1-7) but was watching people scatter from him. (8) This is not a good feeling for a king! Rather than wait for the word of the Lord to come to fruition (1 Samuel 10:8) Saul took matters into his own hands. Saul felt insecure in his leadership so he rejected the leadership of God. Saul later blames Samuel saying, “you didn’t come!” and he used what he saw, his circumstances, as an excuse for his disobedience. (11-13)
 
Samuel diagnoses Saul’s choice as “foolish.” (13) Saul felt insecure, forgot God’s faithfulness, lived by what he saw, and broke God’s command. The result was losing his opportunity to lead for the Lord. (14-15)
 
Like Saul, we can allow our feelings to overwhelm the fact of God’s faithfulness, trusting what we see in our circumstances more than God’s commands. We need forgiveness! And Jesus, the True King, offers grace to begin again. Allow His grace to keep you awake and His love to warm your life to live trusting the faithfulness of God, no matter how you feel.
 
God is in control- And that is a fact whether you believe it or not!
 
 Richly Dwelling
-What is the most difficult aspect of your circumstances right now? How is this feeling fueling you to forget the faithfulness of God, tempting you to compromise your faith?
 
-How can you trust the person and work of Jesus, the fact of God’s love for you and His covenant faithfulness to you, more than your feelings?
 
-When we trust God’s faithfulness more than our feelings we will begin to have joy in all circumstances, gaining hope rather than losing our opportunity to lead for the Lord. Do you have the joy of Jesus in your circumstance?
 
Key Verse
13 And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the command of the Lord your God, with which he commanded you. For then the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. 

​Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him, 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, 4 rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” 8 Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” 9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” 10 Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”
 
12 When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. 16 Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. 18 I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’ 19 I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he. 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”
 
21 After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in his spirit, and testified, “Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” 22 The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he spoke. 23 One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining at table at Jesus' side, 24 so Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. 25 So that disciple, leaning back against Jesus, said to him, “Lord, who is it?” 26 Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it.” So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. 27 Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” 28 Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. 29 Some thought that, because Judas had the moneybag, Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the feast,” or that he should give something to the poor. 30 So, after receiving the morsel of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night.
 
31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once.33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’ 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
 
36 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward.” 37 Peter said to him, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” 38 Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow till you have denied me three times.
 
 
 
Meditation
Do you believe Jesus rules over your personal pain? Can He use your pain for redemptive purposes? Today’s reading is a resounding, “YES!” as we see Jesus’ sovereignty over suffering.
 
Jesus “knew” who would betray Him (11), and when Satan enters Judas, Jesus commands him to do his work quickly- and Satan obeyed. (21-30) When Peter promises to die for his faith Jesus rebukes him, demonstrating His sovereignty by the prediction of Peter’s multiple denials.
 
Jesus is sovereign over the suffering He would endure with full ability to prevent the pain. Why did Jesus not crush the head of Satan in the upper room and end the conflict there?
 
The redemptive purposes of the Father are a deeper affection for Jesus than the removal of personal pain. Jesus trusted His suffering would be a vehicle for the redemptive purposes of the Father to move forward. Upon reflection, Peter would see this too. (Acts 2:23-24)
 
The security of Jesus in the sovereign plan of the Father frees Him to serve even those who would betray Him (1-20). Jesus endured the pain of the cross so those who believe can trust the love of the Father, who works His redemptive purposes through the pain of our lives.  When we believe we receive the love of God and are free to serve others (17) and love one another (31-35).
 
Jesus is sovereign and wants to use your pain for His purposes. Will you trust His love to use your pain for His purpose?
 
Richly Dwelling
-If you were Jesus would you have stopped Satan in the upper room to prevent the pain of what you were about to endure?
 
-Jesus did not prevent the pain because His purpose was to show the love of the Father through His own suffering and death. Do you trust this love?
 
-Will you trust God to take your pain and use it for His purposes? This means you will use your pain to serve and love others. What does this look like for you?
 
Key verse
17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.