He is risen!

Maundy Thursday

Read John 13:1-17, 31-35.
You may like to wash a friend's feet!
A humbling and intimate moment for you both.

Foot washing was a very common practice
among the sandal-wearers of Jesus' time.

Today we don't tend to wash each other's feet so much!

Our welcoming is more likely to be an offer of a drink.
Our cleansing is more likely to be handwashing.

Think about:

What would it mean to welcome Jesus to your place?
What could you offer him?

Next time you wash your hands,
think about areas of your life that need to be cleansed.

(and if you are getting married soon, you may like to look at this!)

Wednesday of Holy Week

Smell some perfume and read John 12:1-8

Extravagance!

Like a small child picking Grandad's prize tulips
and presenting them,
wrapped in grubby fist.
with eyes shining with love.

A shameful waste?
Or a moment of purest love expressed?

Tuesday of Holy Week

Read Mark 11:12-14, 20-21.

One explanation of this passage
is that fig trees that have lots of leaves have lots of figs.
Because the fig tree was in leaf,
it should have been bearing fruit,
hence Jesus' disgust at the fruit-less tree.

It wasn't fig-time,
(too early in the season)
but neither was it full-leaf-time.

The leaves indicated fruitfulness
which wasn't delivered in figs.

So perhaps Jesus was objecting to the "dishonesty" of the tree,
that heralded fruitfulness, but delivered nothing.

Think about seasons
in your life
in your place.

If you are from downunder,
find a lovely pile of autumn leaves,
and scrunch them!
Enjoy the different colours of leaves
on and off the trees.

If you are a northern hemisphere dweller,
wander through a garden
and admire the leaf and flower buds.
Smell some blossom.

Think about your own life.
Are you growing appropriately in your season?
Is your "display" reflecting your fruitfulness,
or are you promising much and delivering little.

Pray:
God, I long to be fruitful.

Monday of Holy Week

Hold a coin and read Mark 11:15-19
The temple was a special, sacred place.

A place where God dwelt.
A place where people worshipped and honoured God.

Jesus turned up at the temple in Jerusalem
and saw a different use of his Father's sacred place.
The temple had become a marketplace.

Instead of people worshipping,
they were wheeling and dealing.

Just as the temple was designed for worship of God,
we were created to worship and honour God.

How are you doing?

Think about your own life.
Are you loving and honouring God with your life,
in your everyday?
What would Jesus say if he were to arrive
in the living room of your life?

Pray: If we have used your house
for our purposes as if you did not mind,
or it did not matter

Lord, forgive us.
God, help our lives
to be always honouring to you.

Palm Sunday ... Jesus enters Jerusalem

On this day about 2000 years ago,
Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem.
He was welcomed as a hero.

For his triumphal entry,
he chose to ride a humble donkey.

When we welcome heroes today,
we often stand with autograph books (tee-shirts, cricket bats)
at the ready.

And so a question to consider...
what would Jesus sign in your autograph book
should you meet him this week on the road to Jerusalem?

Take some time to consider that.

Write it down on a piece of paper and treasure it!

The truck is delivering the sawdust

and lots of people are here with paint brushes and hammers.

There are rumours of a driveway in Redwood,
with assorted furniture being painted grey.

Concrete pavers are down on the floor...
work is underway!