Daily Encounters for 3 April 2026

Published: Fri, 04/03/26

Updated: Fri, 04/03/26

Friday, 3 April 2026

When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!” (Matthew 27:54)

Matthew 26:14–27:66

Steadfast Love

St Paul tells us, “Love never fails” (1 Corinthians 13:8). Jesus demonstrates this to us in his Passion. Jesus’ love will never die. God’s love for us can never be changed and is an everlasting, steadfast love. Today, on Good Friday, we see Jesus demonstrating the Father’s sacrificial love for us. The soldier at the foot of the cross watches Jesus’ death and exclaims, “Surely he was the Son of God!”

Christians sing the age-old song echoed over and over again in Scripture, especially in Psalm 103:8-17.

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases,
His mercies never come to an end;
They are new every morning,
New every morning,
Great is Thy faithfulness, O Lord,
Great is Thy faithfulness.

Throughout his life, Jesus lived his command, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” We now see him dying as he witnesses, in this ultimate way, the Father’s endless love.

Today, in our prayer time, let us marvel and wonder at this great love in the words of the hymn writer, Graham Kendrick:

Such love, pure as the whitest snow;

Such love, weeps for the shame I know;

Such love, paying the debt I owe;

O Jesus, such love.

Such love, stilling my restlessness;

Such love, filling my emptiness;

Such love, showing me holiness;

O Jesus, such love.

Such love, springs from eternity;

Such love, streaming through history;

Such love, fountain of life to me;

O Jesus, such love.