The Two Simons

This is the eighth in a series of 14 entries, in preparation for Holy Week, one for each station of the cross, taken from my 2010 devotional journal, entitled Walkway Reflections.




This was the eighth station in the Walkway.

There are fourteen stations in all, each one of them beautifully highlights a part in the journey of Christ, from His agony in the Garden of Gethsemane to the morning of His glorious resurrection.

Four of the stations touched my heart in a special way. One of them, Station 5, The Whip, just brought me to tears. My British friend Trudi and I couldn't hold back the tears as we knelt on the grass, pouring our hearts out to the Lord.

This station, "The Two Simons", also gripped my heart.

Two metal sculptures formed part of this exhibit, one man holding a rooster, the other holding a cross. A short distance away was a table with two glass jars and a lamp. At night, this lamp gave off a warm glow, as those going through the walkway took a prayer request from one of the jars, and prayed for a complete stranger. On the other jar they dropped their own personal request, for the next person to pick up, and pray for.

The whole exercise was so life giving, and again, tears came to my eyes as I reflected on what the two Simons had done in the life of Jesus.

Simon Peter denied Jesus, but he had the opportunity to affirm his love for his master three times. Jesus did not reject him, but welcomed him back with open arms. He died a martyr's death, having been crucified upside down.

Simon of Cyrene was a total stranger. But his compassion for Jesus moved him to offer to carry the heavy cross part of the way. This account moved me to tears too.

There was an unmistakable anointing upon the whole place. At each station, I felt a stirring in my heart. It was noonday when we went, so the sun was directly over us, which explains why there was such a glare in most of the pictures I took. It was very hot, and dry, although the water sprinklers watered the grass off and on throughout the day. But despite the discomfort, I felt a kind of holy quiet...I felt like I had to tiptoe going through the whole experience.

These were the beautiful words written about the two Simons on the boards at this station:

Simon Peter

And he went outside and wept bitterly. - Luke 22:62

Simon Peter fell from his high horse and flat on his face as he buckled under the 2eight of his guilt. In less than 24 hours, Peter went from declaring his loyalty to Jesus even unto death (Luke 22:33), to flat out denying that he knew the man.

He had just denied his Lord. Not once, but three times.

Peter could have well earned the title, “History’s Greatest Flake”, but his story doesn’t end there. Decades later, he finds himself hanging on a Roman cross.

Tradition tells us that he requested to be hung upside down, feeling unworthy to even die the same death as Christ.

The charge? Preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. The gospel for those who need a second chance – the gospel for flakes.

Simon of Cyrene

When the torture has taken its toll and the cross has become too heavy to bear, Jesus looks back and finds not a friend, not a disciple, not anyone from his inner circle… Jesus finds the help of a stranger.

He could have been left anonymous; records could have kept him unnamed. But the gospel writers don’t merely gloss over the detail that a foreigner helped Jesus carry the cross. For this act, he is forever etched in history.

The stranger is from Cyrene. And his name is Simon.

Act

• Has there ever been a Simon in your life—someone who pulled through for you when you were in dire need and help was nowhere to be found? Thank God for that person.
• Now, here’s a chance to be a Simon to someone else. Think of someone who you believe may be in need of something. Pray for that person.

Father,

I thank You for the many Simons in my life. Just like Simon of Cyrene, they were there to pull through for me when I needed help. People who believed in me, people who encouraged me and lifted me up, someone who had a kind word for me just when I needed it. A kindness that I neither expected or deserved.

Thank you...thank you. I may not be able to thank them enough...but many of them I have met as I was ministering Your healing to others, and many of them have become my friends today.

I thank You too for my blog friends, especially those who have taken the extra effort to bring our blog friendship to the next level. They, too, did what Simon of Cyrene did for you...an encouraging word, a prayer, an email just to let me know I'm appreciated...

But they all started out as strangers...loving me, accepting me into their hearts...

And today I thank You for sending them all into my life. Please touch their hearts today in a special way. You know who they are.


Walkway Reflections: Introduction
Walkway Reflections 1: The Garden
Walkway Reflections 2: The Betrayal
Walkway Reflections 3: The Trial
Walkway Reflections 4: The Verdict
Walkway Reflections 5: The Whip
Walkway Reflections 6: The Curse
Walkway Reflections 7: The Cross
Walkway Reflections 8: The Two Simons
Walkway Reflections 9: The Crucifixion
Walkway Reflections 10: The Mother
Walkway Reflections 11: The Promise
Walkway Reflections 12: The Darkness
Walkway Reflections 13: The Cloth
Walkway Reflections 14: The Table