Treat Jesus' suffering with reverence and let it deepen gratitude

Treat it as a small detail with no effect on how you live

Use it mainly to win arguments about unusual signs

Focus only on the soldier and miss Jesus' suffering

If you would like to receive Jesus, pray this with me: Lord Jesus, I admit my sin and my need for your mercy. I believe you died for me and rose again. I turn from my sin and open my life to you. Be my Lord and Savior, wash me clean, and lead me in your way. Amen.

Receive the Savior Who Gave Himself

Lord, revive your Church at the cross. Make us people who remember the cost of Christ, who handle one another's pain with tenderness, and who speak hope with humility. Wake us from indifference and make us holy, compassionate, and alive, in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Revive Your People at the Cross

Father, when suffering feels raw and unexplained, let the sight of Jesus pierced bring comfort. Meet the wounded, the grieving, and the weary with your nearness, and steady our hearts with his love, in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Comfort for the Wounded

Bring these to God: gratitude for Jesus' willing suffering; wonder at the love that did not turn away; humility before the cost of redemption; compassion for people who are hurting today.

Gratitude for the Cost of Redemption

Pray by naming one person who is hurting, asking God to make you attentive to their pain, and then asking for one concrete way to help them this week.

Pray for Someone in Pain

Lord, teach me to live with reverence for what Jesus endured. Keep me from shallow faith, grow gratitude in me, and let his suffering make me more humble and more compassionate, in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Teach Me Reverence

ἀλλʼ{AL###AHL###But} εἷς{EES###EES###one} τῶν{ton###tohn###of the} στρατιωτῶν{stra-tee-o-TON###strah-tee-oh-TOHN###soldiers} λόγχῃ{LO-ngkhee###LOH-ngkhee###with a spear} αὐτοῦ{af-TOO###ahf-TOO###his} τὴν{tin###teen###the} πλευρὰν{plev-RAN###plehv-RAHN###side} ἔνυξεν,{E-nik-sen###EH-neek-sehn###pierced} καὶ{ke###keh###and} ⸂ἐξῆλθεν{ek-SEEL-then###ehk-SEEL-thehn###came out} εὐθὺς⸃{ef-THIS###ehf-THEES###immediately} αἷμα{HE-ma###HEH-mah###blood} καὶ{ke###keh###and} ὕδωρ.{HEE-thor###HEE-thohr###water}

John 19:34 — FormalTAB

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