April 2

Morning

But Jesus gave no answer, not even to a single charge, much to the governor’s amazement. — Matt 27:14 BSB

He was never slow to speak when it came to blessing others, yet He said not a word in His own defense. "Never has anyone spoken like this man," and never has anyone been as silent as He was. Was this remarkable silence a sign of His complete self-sacrifice? Did it show that He wouldn’t utter a word to prevent the sacrifice of His sacred body, which He had offered up for us? Had He so fully surrendered Himself that He refused to act on His own behalf, even in the smallest way, but instead allowed Himself to be bound and slain, a willing, silent victim?

Could His silence symbolize the helplessness of sin? There is nothing that can be said to justify or excuse human guilt, so He, who bore the full weight of that guilt, stood speechless before His judge. Isn’t patient silence the best answer to a world that rejects us? Quiet endurance can answer some arguments far more powerfully than the most eloquent words. In the early days of Christianity, the best defenders of the faith were the martyrs. The anvil breaks a legion of hammers by simply bearing their blows.

Did the silent Lamb of God set an example of wisdom for us? Where every word would have provided more fuel for hatred, it was wise to remain silent and not give the enemy more opportunities to sin. Falsehoods and slanders will eventually fall apart on their own, and truth can afford to remain silent, knowing that in time it will be vindicated.

Surely, by His silence, Jesus fulfilled prophecy. A lengthy defense would have contradicted Isaiah’s words: "He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He did not open His mouth." Through His silence, He proved Himself to be the true Lamb of God. As such, we honor Him this morning. Be with us, Jesus, and in the stillness of our hearts, let us hear the voice of Your love.

Evening

Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush Him and to cause Him to suffer; and when His soul is made a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, and the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand. — Isa 53:10 BSB

Pray for the swift fulfillment of this promise, all you who love the Lord. It is easy to pray when our desires are firmly grounded in God’s own promises. How can He who made the promise refuse to keep it? The unchanging truth of God cannot lie, and His eternal faithfulness cannot fail. God must bless His Son, for His covenant binds Him to it. What the Spirit prompts us to ask for on behalf of Christ, God has already decreed to give.

Whenever you pray for the kingdom of Christ, let your heart look ahead to the coming of that blessed day when the Crucified One will be crowned in the very place where He was once rejected. Take heart, those of you who labor in prayer and in work for Christ, even though your efforts may seem to bear little fruit. It won’t always be this way—better days are ahead. Your eyes may not yet see the glorious future, but borrow the telescope of faith. Wipe away the fog of doubt from its lens, and look through it to behold the coming glory.

Reader, do you pray this prayer regularly? Remember, the same Jesus who taught us to ask for "our daily bread" also gave us this petition: "Hallowed be Your name; Your kingdom come; Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Don’t let all your prayers be focused on your own sins, your own needs, your own struggles. Let your prayers rise higher, reaching to Christ Himself. And as you approach the mercy seat, sprinkled with His blood, continually offer this prayer: "Lord, extend the kingdom of Your beloved Son!" A prayer like this, offered fervently, will lift your whole soul in devotion. And be sure to prove the sincerity of your prayer by actively working to promote the glory of the Lord.