April 10, 2020 Good Friday
DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC
By Rev. Maria Szabo Berces
Beloved Carstairs Bancroft United Church Members,
Today we would have had a joint service with Didsbury and Olds United Churches. The choirs of these three church families would have joined voices in a beautiful anthem. Instead, we are forced to hold our acts of remembrance at home.
So, let us remember that Jesus was also forced by Roman soldiers to carry a wooden cross, the tool of his execution. Nevertheless, Christ did it with intention, in his great love for us. He went through all that suffering and shame so that we may have hope even in the face of death, and as we go through the darkest valleys of life or dying.
Luke also tells us a story of a man, who was forced to carry Jesus’ cross. Below, I am forwarding you a daily devotion written by my minister friend, Rev. Alice, which reflects on that fragment of the Passion of Christ.
But before we read that, let’s recall the beautiful words – and tune if you happen to have a Voices United book at home – of our well-known hymn – VU # 142 – “Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross”:
1 Jesus, keep me near the cross;
there a precious fountain,
free to all, a healing stream,
flows from Calvary’s mountain.
In the cross, in the cross,
be my glory ever,
till my raptured soul shall find
rest beyond the river.
2 Near the cross, a trembling soul,
love and mercy found me;
there the bright and morning star
sheds its beams around me.
In the cross, in the cross,
be my glory ever,
till my raptured soul shall find
rest beyond the river
3 Near the cross! O Lamb of God,
bring its scenes before me;
help me walk from day to day
with its shadow o’er me.
In the cross, in the cross,
be my glory ever,
till my raptured soul shall find
rest beyond the river
4 Near the cross I’ll watch and wait,
hoping, trusting ever,
till I reach the golden strand
just beyond the river.
In the cross, in the cross,
be my glory ever,
till my raptured soul shall find
rest beyond the river
Peace to you all,
Rev. Maria
Carry the Cross of Jesus
As the soldiers led Him (Jesus) away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. / Luke 23:26
Simon of Cyrene was coming back from the country, most likely he was working, and he saw a crowd… he went closer, was probably curious… then suddenly one of the soldiers guarding Jesus ordered him to carry his cross…
It was so unexpected… it must have felt like an accident… but we know that in God’s world there are no accidents. We also know that whenever we have to remind ourselves that in God’s world there are no accidents, it is always a painful situation.
If there is a special message of the story of Simon of Cyrene and it is that we can not choose the place and the time of our own cross-bearing.
Jesus said, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” … and we can not choose the place and we can not choose the time either. But God’s final, ultimate word is blessing and we can see here Simon, a man who met Jesus, carried his cross for a while… and his life changed forever.
Isn’t that the purpose of the church is to promote life change?
Isn’t exchanged life is the main idea behind Christianity, our walk with Christ?
You know, trusting in God on a sunny day is easy.
Trusting in God in a storm on an airplane requires a different level of faith, but God is the same regardless of the weather.
God is real;
God can be trusted;
God is good – praise be to God.
Devotion by Rev. Alice
Used with permission