Lent | week 3
As we continue the Lenten season, let’s focus our attention on the moments we are called to prepare our hearts for what’s to come. Like the disciples in Mark 14 in the Upper Room — preparing for the sacrifice of the perfect Lamb of God — the most profound act of love given freely for our redemption.
READ
Mark 14:22
22 And as they were eating, he took bread, and after. blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said,
“Take; this is my body.”
Preparing Our Hearts for the Feast
– Michelle Beckham-Corbin
As we delve into the Last Supper in Mark 14:12-16, we find ourselves in a sacred moment of preparation and revelation. It is the Feast of Unleavened Bread, a time when the Jewish people would sacrifice the Passover lamb – a symbol of liberation and divine protection. This moment foreshadows the ultimate sacrifice that Jesus will make for humanity.
In this setting, Jesus instructs His disciples to prepare a place for their meal, fully aware of the weight of what lies ahead. Imagine being one of those disciples, tasked with following a stranger carrying a jar of water. The directions seem simple yet require trust. When the disciples find everything as Jesus described, it serves as a powerful reminder that God’s plans are often more precise than we can imagine.
I experienced this sacredness firsthand when my husband and I visited the Holy Land in 2018. Stepping into the Upper Room on Mt. Zion, I visualized the scene of Jesus at the table with His disciples. Holy Spirit bumps ran down my arms as I felt the significance of that moment.
In my mind’s eye, I saw Jesus breaking the unleavened bread and sharing wine, transforming these ordinary elements into something extraordinary. “This is my body… This is my blood of the covenant.” With these words, He established a new covenant that fulfills the old and offers us an everlasting relationship with Him.
As we reflect on this passage, let us consider Jesus as the Lamb of God in our lives today. The sacrifice of the Passover lamb pointed forward to Him – perfect, unblemished, and given for our sins. Each time we partake in communion, we remember this profound act of love and sacrifice. It is a moment to pause, reflect, and allow His grace to wash over us.
Are we, as shepherd leaders who influence so many, preparing our hearts for this feast? For the task of shepherding well? Just as the disciples prepared the upper room, we too are called to prepare our inner selves through prayer, repentance, and a readiness to receive His grace for the outer work He has called us to.
As we navigate life’s uncertainties, let us remember the assurance that comes from knowing Jesus as our Lamb and Shepherd. He is our Savior and sustainer, guiding us with divine purpose. Today, let us commit to preparing our hearts to embrace the love and sacrifice of Jesus, the Lamb of God, who invites us to His table. May we recall the sacrifice the Bread and the Cup represent and the feast laid before us by our Good Shepherd.
PRAY
Dear Lord, thank You for the gift of Your Son, the Lamb of God. Help me to ready my heart to receive the abundance of Your grace in my life, even as I offer grace to those I influence. May I always remember the sacrifice You made for me, and may it inspire me to shepherd in a way that reflects Your love. Amen.
DIGGING DEEPER – REFLECT ON THE SCRIPTURE PASSAGES FOR THIS WEEK
Where and in what way do you see Jesus shepherding His sheep?
Where do you see hope and expectation in this week’s readings and how can that form you more deeply into His image as a shepherd?
Write your own prayer of gratitude to the Good Shepherd who gave His body and poured out His blood for you.
MICHELLE BECKHAM-CORBIN
Retired Director of Marketing & Communications, American Heritage Girls, Inc. Michelle is a published author and a member of the Christian Leadership Alliance Advisory Council.
