Lenten Devotional Day Forty
I failed to hit publish on yesterday’s post until just a minute ago, and I think I’ve miscounted somewhere along the way, but despite the many imperfections I have so enjoyed writing these daily reflections. Thank you for reading them.
As we celebrate the miracle of the Resurrection today, I am reminded of a beautiful sermon I heard a few years ago from Exodus 12, which recounts The Passover. The Passover, of course, happened on the heels of nine other plagues in Egypt.
The final plague would be the death of all firstborns sons. I imagine there was little doubt as to whether this plague would actually occur. You can read the Scriptures beginning in Exodus 7 and see what everyone in Egypt would have witnessed through the first nine plagues. To avoid this terrible fate, you would need to take a lamb into your home for 4-5 days, and then kill it, drain its blood, and use it to mark the frame of your door. Only if the blood was there would your house be passed over.
The sermon drew our attention to the emotions of waking up that next day. Can you stop for a minute and consider it? Can you imagine waking up that morning and being able to hug your firstborn? You'd be overcome with gratitude. The covering of the blood had saved your beloved child. I can picture myself sobbing and embracing my eldest son, knowing that he lived only because the sweet perfect lamb had died.
That is not just the story of Passover. It is the truth of Easter.
Worthy is the lamb that was slain for you and for me.
“Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!” Luke 24:5b-25a
Digging Deeper:
How are you comforted by Jesus’ victory over death?
How have you or will you celebrate today?