Blogger: Mary Keeley
Thursday of Holy Week—Maundy Thursday—is the day that ushers in the most important days in history. On this day Christians prepare our hearts for what tomorrow through Sunday signifies for us. I can think of nothing more important to blog about today.
Maundy Thursday prepares our hearts.
The word “Maundy” is derived from the Latin word mandatum, meaning commandment. It refers to Christ’s command to follow his example as he washed his disciples’ feet: show love and humility as we serving others. The 
Maundy Thursday service at our church is my family’s favorite service of the year. Appropriately solemn, it is completely different from any other service of the year. It focuses on commemorating the Last Supper, reading of Scripture, and worship. Nothing more. No distractions. Perfect.
Good Friday commemorates the sacrifice.
Our day jobs may require our presence at work tomorrow, but our hearts will be elsewhere. We in Christian publishing will be one together—authors, agents, editors, sales, marketing, and PR teams, and publishing executives. Brothers and sisters kneeling at the foot of the cross with humble, repentant, hearts. Hearts that overflow with thanksgiving for Christ’s unimaginable sacrifice on our behalf to purchase our eternity.
Resurrection Sunday celebrates the victory!
Bunnies and chicks, eggs and candy are a fun way to train young children that this day is special. Many of us add a biblical Easter picture book to our children’s baskets or gift an older child with a devotional or Bible. Good stuff. But they will know the victory of this day as they watch our transformed lives confirm the power of Christ’s finished work. The evidence is our love.
Let’s seek God to reignite our united purpose during commemoration of those days Christ endured for us. We cannot shrink back under the pressure of political correctness, but rather renew our resolve to obey the Great Commission. How can we not? We worship our Savior through the work he has equipped us to do. We each use our unique gifts, knowledge, and the stories he inspires to encourage readers, possibly introducing some to him for the first time. A privilege and no greater joy.
What meditations and memories bring home the significance of this day for you? How do you commemorate Maundy Thursday?
The Importance of Reputation
He died so we may live. As we enter in to this season, I personally like to reflect on what He has given me and how I am using it. This past week I learned quite a bit about the world of “Christiaan publishing” and honestly, a publishing company is no more Christian then the truck I drive. It’s all about the person driving it. Our faith is an action and our salvation is a relationship. Personally, I can honestly say that my salvation is locked in, but it’s my faith that needs my constant attention. As I enter into this season, I have spent a lot of time in prayer asking for the clarity I need to ensure that I am staying true to Him so I may call myself a Christian Author. Misistry is a gift and as with all gifts, we must be good stewards of them.
A blessed season of love and sacrifice to all my Books & Such friends. May it be well with your souls.
He is risen!!
I’ve been reading the chapters in John (14-17) where Jesus is talking with his disciples before going to the garden. “If you love me, you will obey my command.”…”This is my command: Love each other.”
For me it’s much more of a Remington-esque process, options narrowing to a single fell and inescapable point. No way out, no way back, and each passing moment brings home the reality that the terror is real, and it’s coming. There is promise, but it lies on the other side of that black wall of pain.
* Here’s a visual representation, if anyone’s interested.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/danrawe/7606857468/in/faves-52206729@N03/
Praying for you, Andrew.
Carol, thank you so much.
Dear God,
In our blog, we have a man who is dying. It’s not some easy death, where the heart stops in one instant and breath ends. It is a battle long and dreadful, unfortunately too often seen in our people today, this fight with cancer. Which actually is not, of course, because in truth, it is only the front for the devil. He who hates you, and your children, and will use any lie or deceit to destroy them.
But you have left us our weaponry, dried on the wood of the cross. Those rivulets dripping down under the Crown of Thorns, the smatterings flung out beneath the lash on your back, the quick flush from the sword’s thrust as you hung slack against the spikes driven into your flesh. Blood. Life, as anyone knows. But this Life filled with fire, and power, for it is the blood of the Living Christ. And it heals.
“Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows, yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon him.
And with his stripes, we are healed.” Isaiah 53:4,5
And Satan has no defense. He is powerless. Can only whimper and whine, slink back to hell. Defeated.
Thou Lord. Because Andrew is unable, I call upon thy great compassion and ask thee to go to him. To walk through his door as you did for the Doubting Thomas, and tell him you’ve come. Put your hand upon him, bloody with the hammering of the nail, and look upon him with your eyes full of love and say.
“With my blood I heal thee.”
All praise. Glory to the Lord who lives and reigns in heaven. Forever. Amen
Andrew–Rev 12:11
“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony.”
Put this on the wall or where you can see it all the time. Say it, out loud, over and over and over. Constantly, even in your sleep, say the name of Jesus, lay your hand upon your heart, put it on your head, hold it up to heaven, just sit there, lay there, and say a thousand times a day, “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus.” And He will heal you.
Sit on the Bible. Lay on the Bible. Stand on the word of God. And ask Barbara to call every and anyone to come and testify to you of His great works. Put the word out. You want to hear what God has done, all those wonders and impossibilities we never tell a soul, but which have the power to overcome Satan. Cry out for them. Take them to your heart and believe them. Amen
Amen. I’m joining you in that prayer.
Wanda, I can’t thank you enough for this prayer, and Barbara was moved to tears. I don’t have the strength today to reply at length, but please know of our gratitude, and of our knowledge of the blessings of stalwart friends.
Amen.
This prayer joins all our hearts together, Wanda, rising heavenward as a sweet fragrance before the Lord. The incense of our prayer fills a golden bowl engraved with Andrew’s name.
You are so welcome, Andrew and Barbara, and thank you, Shirlee.
Wow. Powerful depiction, Andrew. Praying for you, sir. As I look at that painting, I see two men fighting. Neither is alone. And I’m reminded that Jesus said, “Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” Praying you completely sense his presence and his strength as the moments and days come at you.
Thanks so much, Mary; that is indeed the lesson inherent in the painting, that we are not alone at the end. Thank you so much for the prayers – they are appreciated, and needed. Hard days now; harder ones ahead.
Amen.
And, Norma, amen.
That without Him, I am nothing at all. But He gave His all, because to Him, I am something.
To know that He knew exactly what was coming? That just wrecks me.
Jennifer, He knew what was coming that He could walk ahead of us. Many will see what is coming, and the only thing that stills the absolute terror is knowing that He walked that road. And He came through to the other side.
We had the Lord’s Supper last night … just beautiful. I sat there, looking down the pew, at God’s provision for me … and it was such a sweet moment to take a look inside my heart, my life …