Lenten Daily Devotional 2022
Monday, April 11, 2022
Day 41: My Kingdom is Not of this World
Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.” John 18:36 (NIV)
These are not easy verses to read, but the worst is yet to come. Jesus knows he has mere hours to live and all of them are going to be awful. Everyone else though, is undoubtedly gripped in the panic and uncertainty of the moment.
John is about to go through the traumatic experience of watching the Messiah be tortured and executed. And yet, these are the details he recollects. A shady trial by night, Peter’s denials, a cruel, foreign bureaucrat, and Jesus’ reaction to each. (We have to wait for Chapter 21 for His reaction to Peter’s denials – spoiler alert, it’s love and forgiveness!)
One of these details is Pilate’s second question to Jesus, “What is it you have done?” What a question! We can very well come up with a series of miracles Jesus could have recited to Pilate! Or the fulfillment of prophecies. Or the list of names of those He healed.
When someone asks the living God, “What is it you have done?” and God answers . . . let the church hear His response.
“My kingdom is not of this world.”
Brothers and sisters, today we are part of a kingdom not of this world. A kingdom more joyful and more real than the kingdoms we see or touch.
Never forget that.
Live for, love through, speak about, work for and rest in His kingdom today.
--David Collins
John is about to go through the traumatic experience of watching the Messiah be tortured and executed. And yet, these are the details he recollects. A shady trial by night, Peter’s denials, a cruel, foreign bureaucrat, and Jesus’ reaction to each. (We have to wait for Chapter 21 for His reaction to Peter’s denials – spoiler alert, it’s love and forgiveness!)
One of these details is Pilate’s second question to Jesus, “What is it you have done?” What a question! We can very well come up with a series of miracles Jesus could have recited to Pilate! Or the fulfillment of prophecies. Or the list of names of those He healed.
When someone asks the living God, “What is it you have done?” and God answers . . . let the church hear His response.
“My kingdom is not of this world.”
Brothers and sisters, today we are part of a kingdom not of this world. A kingdom more joyful and more real than the kingdoms we see or touch.
Never forget that.
Live for, love through, speak about, work for and rest in His kingdom today.
--David Collins
Prayer Focus: Pray for those in our community who struggle with drug and alcohol addiction. Pray for them to find the hope and help they need to find recovery.
Thought or comment to share?
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