Begin with 2 minutes of silence and stillness before God.

Have you ever had a goal you were working towards or a race you were running? You start out super motivated, you have a plan, and then unexpected things happen that make you question what you were doing to begin with. From my experience with running, the closer you get to the finish line, the more you question your ability to finish. You start to notice every crack in the terrain, your legs get heavier, you notice all the aches and pains in your body, and the finish line is more difficult. Running is so fun, right?

When our bodies sense a change in our environment, our instinct is to push forward or pull back, a.k.a. fight or flight, to protect ourselves in the face of a threat.
Mathew 27 takes us through the moments leading up to Christ’s crucifixion and man was their darkness, fear, and doubt.

We see Judas and Peter fall short in their faith. They get to the final mile and start to shorten their focus. As we read, Judas betrays Jesus for silver and Peter denies knowing Jesus to save his own life.

I can only imagine the anxiety they both felt. I imagine the churning in their stomachs, the shaky hands, the pounding chest, and the doubt that was tossed around in their minds. I have often tried to put myself in their shoes, wondering how big my faith really is. Is my faith big enough to see past my anxiety? The amazing thing is that even in the disciples’ shortcomings of faith, much like my own, Christ still greeted the cross fearlessly for us. He saw God's plan as bigger than the hours of suffering on the cross. Take a moment to reflect on where your faith is falling short. I’ll give you a hint: it’s that thing giving you so much anxiety. But there is hope in your struggle, friend. A change is coming, and God wants to see you through it. Only by keeping our eyes on the cross can we eagerly run our race and begin to see God’s perspective. He will meet us where our faith is lacking, and we can experience the joy of the third day.

Reflections:

• What area of your life gives you some anxiety?
• Pray so you can better give it to God, reflecting on His ways, not yours.

Take 2 minutes to reflect in silence.

Family Application: Matthew 27

Author: Anna Overstreet

Who is it that has a very special place in your life? Who do you love more than anyone else in the world? Is it your parents? Grandparents? A best friend or two? Dare I say, your siblings? (Nah! No way, right?) Is there a teacher or leader from church who has a very special place in your heart? Do you love holding newborn babies, playing with pudgy toddlers, or caring for people with special needs? Who makes you feel happy and safe when you are with them? Now that you have thought about those special people, I want you to think about how far you would go to keep them safe from harm. I’m willing to bet you would do just about anything to rescue them from danger.

What if you could take their place? Would you put yourself in their place so they did not have to face it?

Today’s passages are super hard and sad to read. It describes the awful events that Jesus endured which led to his crucifixion on the cross. Jesus loved us so much, that He suffered and went through all these things so we don’t have to. While everyone will die, only those who accept His gift of salvation will escape the punishment we deserve. Use Bible Study Tip #2 to better understand what all our precious Jesus faced on that sorrowful day.

Bible Study Tip #2

• Make a timeline of the major events that happened in today’s reading.
• Write short phrases or draw pictures that show what happened to Jesus in the order they occurred.
• Look back over your timeline and talk with your family about how hard that day must have been for Jesus and those who loved Him.
• Talk about how it makes you feel knowing everything that Jesus went through for you.
• Prayer: Jesus, I can’t even begin to understand what exactly You faced for me on that sad but necessary day. Help me never forget the price You paid for me. “Thank You” just doesn’t seem like enough to say, but I will say it anyway. Thank You, Jesus, for facing what I deserved. May we never forget. I love You, Jesus. Amen.