Thought For Today

Pilate said to them, (chief priests and Pharisees) “You have a guard of soldiers; go, make it as secure as you can.” So they went and made the sepulcher secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard. Matthew 27:65, 66

Lord these men were still being vindictive and trying their very best to be sure You were in that tomb dead and staying there forever. They wanted no part of anything that had to do with You. They wanted all the attention and the power. They were not about to share it with You.

Thank You Lord that the best made plans of men don’t always work. Death could not keep You in the grace. No one needed to steal You. You came out of the tomb by Yourself alive. You are alive today.

We are Your children and we thank You for paying the price.

We love You Lord and thank You.

Thank You Lord.

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Next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said, “Sir, we remember how that impostor said, while he was still alive, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ Therefore order the sepulchre to be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples go and steal Him away, and tell the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last fraud will be worse than the first.” Matthew 27:62 – 64

Lord I wonder what Pilate was thinking when these men came to him. I am afraid I would have thought, ‘If you are so afraid why don’t all of you go and stand guard.

Did these chief priests and Pharisees wonder if You were for real and You would rise again? I think they had that in the back of their minds so they wanted someone there to witness it.

All is speculation on my part Lord and the good news is You did rise again. You are alive and well as the saying goes. You fulfilled what You said You would do. You came to bring us eternal life and we are all thankful that You did. Oh how we praise and thank You.

Thank You Lord. Thank You.

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Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, (at the tomb) sitting opposite the sepulcher. Matthew 27:61

Thank you Lord for those that stay with us through hard times in our lives.

Thank You for ALWAYS being with us.

Even though we may feel alone Lord what a comfort to know we are not alone. You are there.

Thank You. Thank You Lord.

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And Joseph took the body, and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud, and laid it in His own new tomb, which he had hewn in the rock; and he rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb, and departed. Matthew 27:59, 60

We are told Lord that Joseph of Arimathea was a wealthy man. He had a clean linen shroud to wrap You in. Money was no object in getting You the best. I’m sure Joseph did that because of his love for You and his dedication. What a beautiful picture we see of someone that took great pains to make sure You were taken care of properly.

How blessed we are Lord to have those around us care. Thank You for those in our life that makes us feel special.

We have much to thank You for Lord and I do praise and thank You.

Thank You Lord. Thank You.

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When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. Matthew 27:57, 58

Lord once again I see Pilate playing a part. He could have said, ‘No’ but he didn’t. He gave the body to Joseph of Arimathea.

Thank You Lord for those that loved You while on this earth.

When I remember that You had just died when Joseph went to Pilate it reminds me that so many hopes and dreams were dashed. Joseph hadn’t changed his view of You. He still loved You and wanted to give You a place to lay Your head.

Thank You for men like Joseph that have a deep desire to follow You no matter what the cost is.

Oh how wonderful it is to know and love You too. You are always there for us. Oh how we thank You.

Thank You Lord

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There were also many women there, looking on from afar, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him; among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee. Matthew 27:55, 56

Lord, these verses tell us how much You were loved. How this must have grieved those that had followed You and ministered to You.

Thank You for those in our lives that are ‘there for us.’

Thank You for loving hands that touch us and bring us hope.

Thank You for allowing us to be Your hands today.

We are truly blessed Lord because of Your unconditional love.

Thank You Lord. Thank You.

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When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe, and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!” Matthew 27:55

Lord sometimes it takes something so spectacular to make us really know that You are ‘Truly the Son of God.’ These men knew something was different. All these things were happening and there was no other explanation.

Thank You Lord for miracles. They are all around us and so often we miss them because they aren’t as spectacular as these were. You are ‘alive and well’ today just as You were in the days of old.

Thank You for Your peace and joy. They are certainly something we can experience in the midst of pain. Something the human self cannot often explain.

Thank You for the cross and all it means to us today.

You love us Lord and we love You and thank You.

Thank You Lord.

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And some of the bystanders hearing it (Jesus saying, ‘My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?’) said, “This Man is calling Elijah. And one of them at once ran and took a sponge, filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave it to Him to drink. But the others said, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save Him.” Matthew 27:47 – 49

Lord, I can see these men looking first a one man and then another as they tried to figure out why You were crying out. After all they had seen You do many miracles.

Lord we know that Elijah didn’t come to save You. You died on that cross to pay the price for our sin.

Oh how we are humbled when we consider the price You paid. We thank You Lord. You gave Your all for us.

We bow in gratitude and thank You.

Thank You Lord.

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And Jesus cried again with a loud voice and yielded up His spirit. And behold the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom; and the earth shook, and the rocks were split; the tombs also were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many. Matthew 27:50 – 53

Lord, I can’t remember ever seeing this before or anyone ever talking about the others that were raised after being dead. This was an amazing event. I have always heard in the Easter story about the curtain being torn in two in the temple. I’m sure that must have been shocking to those alive at that time. But these that were raised from the dead must have been shocking too.

Oh how I thank You for ‘yielding up Your spirit’ for me and my sin.

Thank You for the resurrection and the fact that today You live.

Oh how we praise You. Oh how I thank You.

Thank You Lord.

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And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” That is, “My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” Matthew 27:46

Lord, You understand me when I cry out to You, ‘Where are You Lord’ because that was how You must have felt while hanging on the cross.

Thank You for coming to earth for us.

Thank You for experiencing all the emotions and hurts we feel.

Thank You for being there when we cry out to You.

Oh how blessed we are Lord because You came to earth for us.

We humbly bow…..in gratitude.

Thank You.

Thank You Lord.

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