Lay Devotion from SunHee and Bob Kohari for Good Friday

Today is Good Friday, April 10, 2020 

During this Holy Week, as we studied the Gospel of Mark, Jesus’ request to his disciples to “watch and pray” (Mark 14:38) truly touched our hearts.

As the COVID-19 pandemic unfolds throughout the world on this Good Friday 2020, this is the first time in our lives that we have been kept from worshipping together in-person in our church. Today, as we gather together virtually to remember Christ’s suffering for us, this scripture comes to mind: “With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last. The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died, he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!”  (Mark 15: 37-39 NIV).  There are two important thoughts here.  First, like the centurion, we must recognize that Jesus is in fact the Son of God who died for our salvation and secondly, that when the curtain of the temple was torn in two, Jesus’ death opened the way for us to directly approach our Holy God on a very personal level.

As the writer of Hebrews also reminds us: ^“But Christ was sinless, and he offered himself as an eternal and spiritual sacrifice to God. That’s why his blood is much more powerful and makes our consciences clear. Now we can serve the living God and no longer do things that lead to death.  Christ died to rescue those who had sinned and broken the old agreement. Now he brings his chosen ones a new agreement with its guarantee of God’s eternal blessings!”  (Hebrews 9: 14-15 CEV).

Even as we struggle with apprehensions over our current situation, Jesus assures us that if we “watch and pray” and have faith (Mark 11:22-25) God will hear our prayers and strengthen all of us during these hardships.  We must remember that some of God’s greatest blessings come from God’s power in the midst of trials and there is nothing like being comforted by God.

So, on this Good Friday 2020, let us repent, forgive, watch and pray so that Jesus will intercede for us, heal us and draw us closer to him.  Please join us in continuing to pray for our church, our pastors, our congregation, our leaders, our nation and our world.

With God’s blessings to all, SunHee and Bob Kohari.