Bible Gateway Lent Devotional
Day 6
Today's Prayer
Psalm 38:1,2,4,21,22
O Lord, don't rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your rage!Your arrows have struck deep, and your blows are crushing me.My guilt overwhelms me- it is a burden too heavy to bear.Do not abandon me, O Lord. Do not stand at a distance, my God.Come quickly to help me,O Lord my saviour.
Today's Scripture Reading:
Genesis 22:1-14Some time later, God tested Abraham's faith. "Abraham!" God called."Yes," he replied. "Here I am." "Take your son, your only son-yes, Isaac, whom you love so much-and go to the land of Moriah. Go and sacrifice him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you." The next morning Abraham got up early. He saddled his donkey and took two of his servants with him, along with his son, Isaac. Then he chopped wood for a fire for a burnt offering and set out for the place God had told him about. On the third day of their journey, Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. "Stay here with the donkey," Abraham told the servants. "The boy and I will travel a little farther. We will worship there, and then we will come right back." So Abraham placed the wood for the burnt offering on Isaac's shoulders, while he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them walked on together, Isaac turned to Abraham and said, "Father?" "Yes, my son?" Abraham replied. "We have the fire and the wood," the boy said, "but where is the sheep for the burnt offering?" "God will provide a sheep for the burnt offering, my son," Abraham answered. And they both walked on together. When they arrived at the place where God had told him to go, Abraham built an altar and arranged the wood on it. Then he tied his son, Isaac, and laid him on the altar on top of the wood. And Abraham picked up the knife to kill his son as a sacrifice. At that moment the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!" "Yes," Abraham replied. "Here I am!" "Don't lay a hand on the boy!" the angel said. "Do not hurt him in any way, for now I know that you truly fear God. You have not withheld from me even your son, your only son." Then Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught by its horns in a thicket. So he took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering in place of his son. Abraham named the place Yahweh-Yireh (which means "the Lord will provide"). To this day, people still use that name as a proverb: "On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided."
Today's Quote
“[Jesus] died not as a martyr but as the representative of a sinful race.
Although God loved him infinitely, still, as the representatives of a sinful race, in his displeasure he poured down upon him the vials of his indignation.
The death of Christ was intended to make an impression upon the universe, and all the circumstances attending it show what a wonderful effect it had.
When he was nailed to the cross the sun refused to look on, and the heavens were clothed with sackcloth; the whole universe seemed shaking to its foundations.
Heathen philosophers observed it, and said, Either nature is being dissolved, or the god of nature is dying .
The dead could not sleep in their graves, the earth trembled, and the tombs opened, and those who had been dead issued forth, and walked into the city. The veil of the temple was rent in twain. God made a mighty impression upon the entire universe, when, in order that sinners might be pardoned, he thus made a fearful demonstration of his hatred against sin.” – Charles Finney, 19th century revival preacher, in his sermon “Christ the Mediator”
Something to Think About
Was it “fair” or “just” for Jesus to die for our sins?
How does Jesus’ death and resurrection change your relationship to God’s law?