March 24, 2026
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in our Lenten readings from “The Life of Jesus”? Here’s today’s reading:
Lent 2026 – Day 20 in the Book: “The Life of Jesus“
The Week Jesus Dies
Read Sections 5.41 through 5.42 (pages 169-171)
This book is an account of Jesus’ life and teachings told in chronological order from the four Gospels to create one continuous story.
*If you do not have a copy of the book please contact the church at (401)667-0775 and we can get you a copy.
The pain in the prayers of Jesus in Gethsemane are always hard to read. We pray for God’s will to be done in situations, but if we knew that God’s will for us was anything close to what Jesus was about to endure I fear we might not! The disciples couldn’t stay awake even as they witnessed the pain in these prayers. Sad but often we are like these sleeping disciples, letting evil things happen around us and it is easier to fall asleep and pretend to not notice rather than speaking up and standing for truth. But fear often dictates our actions, like Jesus’ followers once He is arrested, we scatter and run rather than face persecution, opposition, or rejection for stannding up for what we believe. We must pray like Jesus to have the strength and courage to face God’s will for us even when uncomfortable knowing He will be with us and He will receive the glory!
How Jesus must have suffered at this point. He knew what was going to happen to Him physically, at least generally, being subjected to the Romans, but He was sure He would experience something spiritually that He had never experienced before, sin being placed on Him and being separated from His Father. He also knew that He would be betrayed and abandoned by His closest followers. And He knew He couldn’t avoid it but shows in His prayer that we can bring the hardships that comes from following God’s will to God. And how confusing it must have been for the disciples to see this powerful and good man arrested like a criminal. And yet Jesus had warned them about this. But going through it is not the same, much like when we go through things that Jesus warned us about. We must stand strong in faith and trust God for what He is doing much like Jesus does in the garden.
The “cup”. The agony. Of being separated from his father. The only time in all eternity! Why? Sinless! Son of God! Took our sins, So we could be eternally saved. You begin to understand the love of God for us Nothing more powerful to make us trust and obey
Amen, Mark!
We just read yesterday. Jesus words. That I myself may be in them. Resurrection power in us. So here is Jesus a band of soldiers with lanterns and weapons. And He moves forward towards them. Knowing fully what is about to take place. Who is it you are looking for. “. “I AM HE”. They fall to the ground. When we face difficulties. Do we look beyond our feelings and circumstances and remember and realize who it is that lives in us. Sovereign in all things.!
Lent Day 20
How extreme the pain that Jesus felt to face what the Father asked him to do—suffering and dying with the weight of the world’s sins. But he obeyed the Father in every detail with such love for his followers and all people.
1. I would love to know what song they were singing.
2. Jesus struggled with anxiety, understandably. Reading about overcoming anxiety in the “consider the lilies” book. Jesus grieves, but He also prays, entrusts Himself to the Father, and asks others to pray.
3. We see small glimpses of what is going on in the spiritual realm: an Angel comes to help Him (did anyone see him?) Jesus knows how he will be betrayed. The soldiers fall back when Jesus says “I am Jesus”. Jesus restores Manchus’ ear instantly.
I had the same thought, Amy. I think I recall it was something out of Psalm 118+119.
I’ll go read those!
Lent 2026 – Day 19 & 20
Psalm 96; Jeremiah 50; The Life of Jesus 5.41-5.42
Lent 2026 day 20
I can sense the frustration and discouragement of Jesus as he deals with what is happening with his disciples and what will take place in the near future. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” That is so true, we all want to do what is right all the time but sometimes we have to be very intentional and alert about it so we don’t fall into the temptation of doing what feels good at the time. And this sets the stage for the most difficult time for Jesus. Having to endure the physical and emotional pain is indescribable. Thank you Jesus