Rise, Let Us Go from Here

Daily Reading: John 14

Rise, let us go from here. (John 14.31b)

Devotional Thought:  After Jesus celebrated the Passover with his disciples, he told them "Rise, let us go from here."  Consider that statement:

·       Rise.  While "the table" is a helpful and necessary place for us to be, we cannot stay there.  God has given us work to do, and we need to rise to the challenge.  Jesus and his disciples had just finished the Passover meal, but they could not stay at the table any longer.  He had to rise to his mission - to be lifted up on a cross.

·       Let us go.  While Jesus had a necessary and delightful purpose in being with the disciples in the upper room, his main work was not accomplished inside those walls.  He had to go outside.  And not just outside the house, but Hebrews 13.12 says that he went outside the gates of the city to do the work of salvation.  And Jesus invited his disciple to go with him: “Let us go.”  We are to go with him, too.  Referring back to Hebrews, we read that we are invited to “go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured” (v. 14).  It is so easy for us to think that coming to church on Sunday is the main focus of Christianity, but Jesus says, “Let us go!”

·       From here.  The Passover event was fraught with death, with darkness, and with despair.  But God turned death into new life!  God turned darkness into light!  God turned despair into deliverance.  Hear the invitation of Jesus to leave your death, darkness and despair!

Rise, let us go from here!

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for rising from worship and celebration to go to the cross.  Help me also to rise to the challenge, take up my cross, and follow you.  Amen.

Psalm of the Day: 37.7-15

7 Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!

8 Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.

9 For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the LORD shall inherit the land.

10 In just a little while, the wicked will be no more; though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there.

11 But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace.

12 The wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at him,

13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he sees that his day is coming.

14 The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose way is upright;

15 their sword shall enter their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.