Day 32

Be Still:  Dear Father, it’s easy to see the priests as evil.  Please help us to remember that we, too, crucified Jesus.  In His name, and through the power of the Holy Spirit, Amen

Be Strengthened:  John 18:28-34

²⁸Then the Jews led Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness the Jews did not enter the palace; they wanted to be able to eat the Passover. ²⁹So Pilate came out to them and asked, "What charges are you bringing against this man?"

³⁰"If he were not a criminal," they replied, "we would not have handed him over to you."

³¹Pilate said, "Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law."

"But we have no right to execute anyone," the Jews objected. ³²This happened so that the words Jesus had spoken indicating the kind of death he was going to die would be fulfilled.

³³Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?"

³⁴"Is that your own idea," Jesus asked, "or did others talk to you about me?"

Be Stretched:  The Jewish leaders were more worried about being ceremonially unclean than that they were bringing an innocent man – the Son of God! – to be condemned to death.  They wanted to eat the Passover, even though they had the true Passover Lamb right there!  Are there ever times when we are so concerned about the ‘right way’ of doing something that we miss being loving?  Do we worry about ceremony instead of substance?  Spend some time in prayer, asking the Holy Spirit to help you keep your focus on the Lamb.