Lent 4 - Eyes of Hope

Why do bad things happen?

A question we've all asked

Punishment for something done wrong?

the disciples ask Jesus

 as they saw a man born blind.

Jesus opens their eyes to see hope!  

"This happened so that the work of God
 might be displayed in his life."

Walking down to the Pool of Siloam

The Pool of Siloam


Jesus spit on the ground
Made mud that he put on the man's eyes
and sent him to the Pool of Siloam
to wash up and eventually see Him!

Jesus uses everything--even the mud of life
to give us the ability to see with
eyes of hope

Lent II - Vulnerable to Holy Capture

In the darkness of a Jerusalem night 

Nicodemus was secretly captured.

The words and works of Jesus

surrounded His heart

and he lost himself

only to be found on Calvary,

in the shadows of the cross.

Cross at Church of the Holy Sepulchre - Jerusalem

 “This is how much God loved the world:

He gave His Son, 

His one and only Son. 

And this is why:

So that no one need be destroyed;

by believing in Him,

anyone can have 

a whole and lasting life.”

(The Message,  John 3:16)

Make my heart more vulnerable 

to Your holy capture, Jesus.  

Lent I - Spirit Strengthening Workout

The wilderness of Judea where Jesus'  temptation began

Disciples watch and learn as Jesus enters the wilderness struggle of Lenten temptation.  (Mt 4:1-11)

Forty days fasting left his body hungry and vulnerable for satanic attack . . . but could this be one of Satan's most miscalculated errors?  

Jesus' body was weakened by hunger. . .but the forgotten variable is His muscular spirit.  Time with His Father and Jesus' spirit was plugged in - charged-up!  

Jesus was ready to go the distance for us.  When the big test comes, He swats Satan like a fly!

Something lacking in my ability to follow Jesus up the steeper slopes due to a weak spirit?  Fasting, reading and meditation on God's Word, reconciliation, prayer . . .  .body and spirit workouts with Jesus make all the difference in my follower-ship during testing times.