Lent Day 40

John 19:30-42

The majority of people who had publicly followed Jesus during His life abandoned Him at His death. Those closest to Him abandoned Him out of fear; the masses who were healed by Him and who had listened to His teaching participated in the call to crucify Him. Yet now a couple individuals who had distanced themselves during His life out of fear choose to step forward and honor Him at His death. To honor Him they use the gifts they've been entrusted with by God--gifts of money and political influence that Jesus' closest disciples don't have access to. As you look at your own life and the lives of others, remember that God entrusts us with individual gifts for particular purposes. My gifts are not the same as yours because you are called to serve the Lord differently from me. Look to yourself: are you using the gifts God has entrusted you with for His Kingdom? Are you Jesus' disciple both in His life and in His suffering? When the path becomes difficult, do you step forward or do you turn away? Those who turned away and repented were fully forgiven by Jesus and became important evangelists and church leaders. Obviously it would be better to stay with Him through the trials like His mother, John, and a few other women, but don't let failure stop you from repenting and serving Jesus Christ again. For others that crisis can be the turning point that transforms a secret disciple into a publicly committed, publicly known disciple. Wherever you are on that spectrum, the important question is, are you following Him today and using your gifts to serve Him today?