3 April, Friday — Play the Hand You’re Dealt

Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion

Isa 52:13-53:12
Heb 4:14-16;5:7-9
Jn 18:1-19:42

Let us be confident, then, in approaching the throne of grace, that we shall have mercy from him and find grace when we are in need of help.

We are already a quarter way through 2026. So much has changed in the world, and yet so much remains the same. We continue to live our lives, drawing ever closer to our reunion with God.

Gratitude and service continue to be important virtues for living a Christian life. Gratitude for what we have, and service to everyone — especially the underserving. It is disarmingly simple to overlook these practices in the face of the stresses and competitiveness of big-city life.

The vision we have for our life may be drastically different from what God has planned. From having children, to living overseas, to achieving career milestones, many of these desires may not align with God’s intentions. Peer pressure and societal conditioning play a huge part in shaping our view of what an ideal life should be.

I invite you ponder on where your desires spring from. Could it be from something you encountered as a child? Or from a competitive nature that wants to outdo peers and friends? And are your desires realistic, when overlaid with your abilities and current situation?

Jesus succumbed to the will of God and did not give in to any selfish wants. He was able to do so through a lifetime of prayer and obedience. We do not read of Jesus having grandiose plans of his own. Perhaps it is time for us to adopt a similar approach.

If there is a desire in you to accomplish something, ask yourself if that desire is God-sent. Many of our aspirations are petty and escapist in nature. Sometimes, the work that needs doing is right in front of you. I will end with a quote from the movie Rounders, where an accomplished professor recounts how his parents were devasted when he did not become a rabbi. He says “We can’t run from who we are. Our destiny chooses us”.

(Today’s OXYGEN by Gregory Mathew)

Prayer: We ask you Lord, to help us to discover who we’re meant to be.

Thanksgiving: We are grateful for your immense sacrifice on the cross. May our sacrifices in your name not be in vain.