Lent Devotional | Maundy Thursday

Trusting Through Betrayal and Pain

The sight of a father engaging with his son at the community pool brought a smile to my heart. Under a lifeguard’s supervision, the preschooler mounted the low diving board and then crept to the end of it. He peered at his dad treading water below and shook his head. “This is too scary,” he said. “I’m here for you,” the father assured him. “I’ll catch you. I promise.”

Trusting his father’s love gave the child courage to face the thing he feared. Eyes shut, he stepped off the diving board and splashed into his dad’s outstretched arms.

Multiply the boy’s fear a million times or more, and perhaps the sum might help us better understand the anguish Jesus felt as He prayed on the Mount of Olives. He knew what His future held: He would soon bear the punishment for the sin of all mankind. Soldiers would pound spikes through His hands and feet, nailing Him to a rough wooden cross. Then they would lift that cross and jam it into the ground with a bone-jarring thud. There He would hang until He exhaled His last breath. Is it any wonder sweat coursed down His brow like great drops of blood or that Heaven sent an angel to strengthen Him? (Luke 22:43-44)

Understandably, Jesus asked His Father to rewrite the script, but He prayed with a heart fully surrendered to what God deemed best. “Not my will, but yours be done,” He said. Trusting His Father’s love gave Jesus the strength and courage to face the thing He feared.

Life seems filled with reasons to fear: a cancer diagnosis, threats of economic collapse, wars and rumors of wars, to name a few. When our burdens grow weighty and our knees grow wobbly, let’s do as Jesus did—pray to our heavenly Father and surrender our concerns to Him. He might not remove us from those situations, but trusting His love for us gives us the strength and courage to face the things we fear.

Grace Fox
Bible teacher,
award-winning author
& international speaker

Prayer

Heavenly Father, when You allow us to experience difficulties, please remind us that Your love has not diminished. Your presence is still with us, and Your love still surrounds us. Engrave on our hearts a deeper, more complete understanding of Your love so that we might learn to surrender our lives to You, to be used for Your greatest glory.

Reflection

Write this sentence: “Trusting God’s love for me gives me the strength and courage to face the things I fear.” Below it, identify at least three things you fear. Tell God how you feel and thank Him that He has empowered you to face those situations as an overcomer.