...Rest Stop...

This is my Body

While they were eating, Jesus took bread and blessed it. He broke the bread, gave it to them, and said, "Take this. This is my body." Then he took a cup, spoke a prayer of thanksgiving, and gave the cup to them. They all drank from it. He said to them, "This is my blood, the blood of the promise. It is poured out for many people. "I can guarantee this truth: I won't drink this wine again until that day when I drink new wine in the kingdom of God." After they sang a hymn, they went to the Mount of Olives.
Mark 14:22-26

On this night almost 2000 years ago, Jesus ate and drank at the Passover feast with his disciples before He left to be betrayed. Here, he instituted the Eucharist, or communion.

When we eat and and drink and remember Him and what He lived and died for, it is one of the greatest acts of worship we can do.

Worship is responding to God's Love, and in Christ's death, God's love is shown the
most.

Take,
A moment to reflect on what Jesus went through this night.

Eat,
And remember His earthly body that walked and breathed and ate and drank and laughed and wept.

Drink,
And remember His blood that was spilled as a sacrifice so that we could become the sons and
daughters of God.

Pray,
And forgive and forget and love and thank and praise....

Crown of Thorns

The soldiers led Jesus into the courtyard of the palace and called together the whole troop. They dressed him in purple twisted some thorns into a crown and placed it on his head Then they began to greet him "Long live the king of the Jews!" They kept hitting him on the head with a stick spitting on him and kneeling in front of him with false humility. After the soldiers finished making fun of Jesus they took off the purple cape and put his own clothes back on him Then they led him out to crucify him.
Mark 15:16-20

Read the
Medical Description of the Crucifixion
A word of warning it is graphic, for even with the video we now have of Mel Gibsons s
The Passion of the Christ the imagination is a much stronger force.

Just be prepared...

Take and feel the thorns on the crown
Write a prayer in response to what you have read in the comments

Tired...

He took Peter, James, and John with him and began to feel distressed and anguished. He said to them, "My anguish is so great that I feel as if I'm dying. Wait here, and stay awake."
After walking a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if it were possible he might not have to suffer what was ahead of him. He said, "Abba! Father! You can do anything. Take this cup of suffering away from me. But let your will be done rather than mine." He went back and found them asleep.
He said to Peter, "Simon, are you sleeping? Couldn't you stay awake for one hour? Stay awake, and pray that you won't be tempted. You want to do what's right, but you're weak."
He went away again and prayed the same prayer as before. He found them asleep because they couldn't keep their eyes open. They didn't even know what they should say to him. He came back a third time and said to them, "You might as well sleep now. It's all over. The time has come for the Son of Man to be handed over to sinners. Get up! Let's go! The one who is betraying me is near."
Mark 14:33-42

There is a little known group of people who stay up all night the Thursday before Easter, as Jesus asked of the disciples so long ago. They take this time to Pray and reflect, but also to show their love for their Savior.

What are you willing to give up to show your love for God? Can you stay up all night, or even a couple of hours just to pray and reflect? Read the section of Mark above again, and then take a moment and consider how deep your faith runs.