February 17, 2026
Going to Jerusalem - Part 2
Luke 18:31
02/17/2026
31 And taking the twelve, he said to them, ``See, we
are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is
written about the Son of Man by the prophets will
be accomplished. (ESV)
On Sunday we prayed:
O Lord, mercifully hear our prayers and having set us
free from the bonds of our sins deliver us from every
evil.
Today is Shrove Tuesday, the last day of Mardi Gras, where
people take the opportunity to eat and celebrate before the fast
of Lent begins. It is also known as ``Fat Tuesday'' because
housewives would use all the shortening in the house before it
was banned as part of the Lenten regulations.
Does God set us free from the bonds of our sins and deliver
us from every evil because we give up dairy products, fats, and
meat during Lent? Such restraint may help us focus on the truth
that Jesus died and rose again to pay the price of our sin, but
giving up a beloved item does not earn us God's love.
And taking the twelve, [Jesus] said to them, ``See, we
are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is
written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be
accomplished.
During the coming forty days we will seek to know more about
the Father's love which caused Him to sacrifice His only-begotten
Son to redeem us from sin, death, and the power of the devil.
From the first pages of the Bible and throughout the Old
Testament, we find the promise of salvation because of God's
love.
May our Lord bless us as we ponder Jesus' suffering and
death as we prepare for His glorious resurrection. Amen.