When I was younger, I found myself spending time in anticipation of the next big thing. You know what I mean. Birthdays would come and then I'd be wishing for the end of the school year and vacation time. Vacations would come and then I'd be wishing for school to get started again so I could see friends again and of course learn new things. School would start and the wishing for Thanksgiving would begin. Well, you get the picture. Perhaps you were like that too! I confess that while my wishing for the next big thing has dwindled somewhat, to a certain extent I still get excited about what's next! Why is it that we never seem content in the moment? 
Now as a grandparent, I find my wishfulness manifesting itself toward the past. I'm spending time with grandchildren and wonder where I was when their parents were that age. Retrospect can be an educator, but it can also provide for regret.
So I am determined to make the best of it right now. I am changing some of my ways to reflect being better at being a grandparent with how my time is budgeted than I was as a parent. As an outgrowth of this devotion to the next generation, I find myself reveling in the gained moments with the parents and aunties of our fearsome foursome.
And then some days...it's just Thursday...
The moment you hear the voice, you instantly recognize Jim Croce (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "You Don't Mess Around With Jim" (Jim Croce), Tuesday's Musical Notes - "I Got A Name" (Jim Croce)) His short discography (5 studio albums, 12 singles (8 of which were top 40 hits)) is filled with easily distinguishable songs that are played in the rotation of "classic" popular radio stations even 50 years after his death.
His final record, I Got A Name, spawned 4 singles after its posthumous release in December of 1973 ("I Got A Name" (#10), "I'll Have To Say I Love You In A Song" (#9), "Workin' At The Car Wash Blues" (#32), and "Lover's Cross"). It served as Croce's third album in a row to go into the top ten of the album charts, peaking at #2. 17 session musicians contributed to the recording. Included on the tracks "The Hard Way Every Time" and "Workin' At The Car Wash Blues" was a 25-year-old keyboard player named Michael Kamen, Wikipedia article (
Tucked in between "Salon and Saloon" (Croce's last recorded track) and "Top Hat Bar and Grille" is today's featured song, "Thursday". This nondescript song's biggest accolade is that it is on Croce's last album. Lyrically, it never even mentions the 5th day of the week. It is a fun song about unrequited love. (Does that count as an oxymoron?) It features classic harmonies and Croce's stereotypical perspective on life. It is also another song that I had never heard but immediately one for which I find a fondness. Finally, if you've been reading The Notes for the last few weeks, "Thursday" has some obvious reasons for inclusion in your favorite blog.
Over the past 4 weeks, we have been witness to the Scriptural account of Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem on a donkey, His cleansing of the temple of those who were defrauding worshippers, His encounter with religious leaders and teaching through parables to those leaders and the crowds that gathered around Him, and the plans to betray Him being set into motion. Through these moments we hope you have seen the consistency in Jesus as He continued to heal and speak about the Kingdom of Heaven. We hope you have witnessed His compassion on those around Him, even those who were going to treacherously disown Him, as He disciples His closest companions on what they were to do in His soon-coming absence.
We come to what is commonly referred to as Maundy Thursday. It is a day celebrated by many believers as being the day in which the last supper was conducted by Jesus and given to the apostles.
Timing wise this day is incredibly important as Jesus and the apostles are celebrating Passover, the recognition of the final plague in Egypt, in which all of the firstborn were killed unless they spread the blood of an unblemished, year-old male lamb on the lintel and the doorposts of their home. The Israelites were spared this plague. It was the final element that caused Pharoah to relent his stranglehold on the Israelites and let Moses lead the children of Israel out of bondage. God instructed the new nation that they were to celebrate each year with an observance that included a meal exactly like the one consumed by the Israelites that night. The imagery is rich at this moment. Take a moment and read the entire passage: Exodus 12:1-32 NASB/AMP/ESV/KJV
On this Thursday, Jesus and the apostles were celebrating Passover and then Jesus transforms this unique celebration into its ultimate fulfillment in Himself. He gives the apostles the Last Supper and institutes the ordinance that most Evangelical Christians observe today. Jesus takes the unleavened bread, breaks it, blesses it, and then gives it to the apostles to eat, proclaiming it to be His body. He then takes a cup, gives thanks for it, and provides it to the apostles to drink, proclaiming it to be His blood. Tuesday's Musical Notes recognizes that there are many conversations surrounding this event. We choose to take Scripture as it reads and ask Holy Spirit to do the interpretation for us. Debates among believers tend to not be very productive and cast a pale on what our ultimate mission is, the Good News of Jesus proclaimed, and growing-to-be-like Jesus disciples made of those who believe.
During this meal, Jesus also makes an astounding revelation that one of the apostles had already betrayed Him. I find it interesting that the apostles, including Judas, began asking Jesus, "Is it me?". While we don't know what was in the mind of Judas, one wonders how he could ask this. Was Judas so convinced he was doing the right thing, that he didn't see it as a betrayal? Was Judas so overtaken by the enemy that he asks the question as mockery? Do we see our sin, our intentional dishonoring of God, as a betrayal?
After Judas follows suit in his inquiry, Jesus tells him "you've said it yourself". In other Gospel accounts, Judas leaves at this moment, with the other apostles thinking he is tending to business, since Judas "holds the purse", serving as the treasurer for the group.
Matthew indicates that they sang a song after taking the supper. Passover tradition suggests that Psalm 113-114 NASB/AMP/ESV/KJV is sung midway through the meal and Psalm 115-118 NASB/AMP/ESV/KJV is proclaimed as the meal concludes. So the praise they lifted would have been based on Psalm 115-118.
Jesus and the apostles then proceed to the Mount of Olives where Jesus proclaims that they will abandon Him that night, much to their chagrin. Peter puts his indignation into words and all of the apostles agree with Peter. Jesus responds to Peter's impulsiveness by relaying the seriousness of the situation and by saying that Peter will indeed deny that he knows Jesus. This denial will be perpetrated 3 times before the rooster crows. Even with all of these revelations, Jesus allows the apostles to accompany Him up to the hillside where He will pray. Jesus brings Peter, James, and John further up the mountain and implores them to stay awake and pray with and for Him. Jesus asks God if it is possible for this process to not be played out in the way Jesus knows it has to be. He then submits to God's will.
In our most difficult times, are we willing to do the same? Can we submit to God's will even in extreme circumstances?
While Jesus earnestly seeks God the apostles have fallen asleep. Yes, it is nearly midnight and they have had a busy day. Yes, they did not completely understand the ramifications of what was about to happen. It seems their abandonment is already beginning as Jesus comes back to them and tells them that their spirits are willing, but their flesh is weak.
Jesus repeats the process two more times with the same results, He surrenders to God's will, and the apostles are asleep. The climax of three years of teaching, preaching, and healing is about to come to fruition. Jesus awakens the apostles and prepares for the execution of God's will.
Friend, this particular Thursday is important for so many reasons. The apostles had just observed what would be Jesus' last Passover with them. He shares with them that His body will be broken and His blood will be spilled for them. He asks them for their attentiveness and watchfulness while He prays and seeks God and they fall asleep.
It is easy to be critical of the apostles at this moment, however, we must remember that we are responsible for our actions every day. As believers, do we deny Jesus by not seeking, much less doing, God's will? Are we quick to participate in the supper and then vanish when the pathway becomes harder than we anticipated? Or do we surrender to God's will no matter how difficult the events around us may be?
If there has never been a moment in your life where you have surrendered to God's will, today could be that day. It will be the first act in the restoration process that God desires to have in His relationship with you.
The things we have discussed over the last few weeks in the last days of Jesus show us His compassion, His obedience, and His intense desire to see God's will accomplished through Him. All of these things in His story, are so that your relationship with God could be restored forever.
Keep reading friend, the ultimate acts of Jesus' obedience and how that can change your life, follow in the next few weeks.
'Til Tuesday,
Loving HIM by Loving You,
randy
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