Were You There?
Thursday, April 2, 2026
Holy Thursday
Dr. Yolanda Pierce finds both comfort and challenge in the spiritual “Were You There?,” which invites listeners to reflect on how they are present to Jesus’s death on the cross:
In that small Baptist church where I was invited the invited preacher for Palm Sunday, the choir sang, “Were You There (When They Crucified My Lord)?” That beloved spiritual caused me to reflect theologically on the power of showing up and on the experience of the radical presence of God the song embodies….
More than two thousand years removed from the reality of Jesus’s crucifixion, this spiritual … stresses the reality of the current moment by daring to ask the listener, “Were you there?” With this emphasis on “you”—on those of us who could not have been physically present—it reminds us that the believer still needs to show up at the foot of the cross and to identify with the radical act of Jesus’s death and resurrection.
Pierce names examples of suffering where we are called to bring our presence and seek justice:
There is fullness of life when you show up, fully present, when people are suffering and where people are bearing the burdens of their own crosses. “Were You There?” is a reminder that to be fully present with the whole of humanity does not require us to enter the sanctuary or walk across the threshold of a church. The cross, Calvary, is a site of public spectacle. The rhetorical question “Were you there?” signifies the real pressing question about whether you will be present for lost and hurting generations.
To be present is to be wherever there is need. Were you there when the levees broke during Hurricane Katrina or when the earthquake shook Haiti?
Will you be there when the next natural disaster strikes and the most vulnerable cannot find shelter? …
To be present is to be where people are suffering. Were you there among the hungry and the homeless, those in search of both their spiritual and physical daily bread?… Or will you cross to the other side of the street?
To be present is to be at the front lines of the fight for justice. Were you there in Selma and Birmingham, risking the dogs and the water hoses? Will you be there on Capitol Hill to fight for health care for the uninsured? Will you be there at your senator’s office to protest the cuts to educational funding even as another several billion dollars are appropriated to fight unjust wars?
The lyrics of “Were You There?” continue with the words “Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble! Tremble! Tremble!” I wonder whether we have lost our ability to tremble—to be deeply affected —in the face of injustice. I wonder whether we no longer tremble in the presence of a holy God who requires us to do the work of justice.
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Jesus Calling – April 2nd, 2026, Sarah Young
I have promised to meet all your needs according to My glorious riches. Your deepest, most constant need is for My Peace. I have planted Peace in the garden of your heart, where I live; but there are weeds growing there too: pride, worry, selfishness, unbelief. I am the Gardener, and I am working to rid your heart of those weeds. I do My work in various ways. When you sit quietly with Me, I shine the Light of My Presence directly into your heart. In this heavenly Light, Peace grows abundantly and weeds shrivel up. I also send trials into your life. When you trust Me in the midst of trouble, Peace flourishes and weeds die away. Thank Me for troublesome situations; the Peace they can produce far outweighs the trials you endure.
RELATED SCRIPTURE:
Philippians 4:19 (NLT)
19 And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.
Additional insight regarding Philippians 4:19: We can trust that God will always meet our needs. Whatever we need on earth he will always supply, even if it is the courage to face death as Paul did. Whatever we need in Heaven he will supply. We must remember, however, the difference between our wants and our needs. Most people want to feel good and avoid discomfort or pain. We may not get all that we want. By trusting in Christ, our attitudes and appetites can change from wanting everything to accepting his provision and power to live for him.
2nd Corinthians 4:17 (NIV)
17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.
Additional insight regarding 2nd Corinthians 4:17: Our troubles should not diminish our faith or disillusion us. We should realize that there is a purpose in our suffering. Problems and human limitations have several benefits: 1) they remind us of Christ’s suffering for us; 2) they keep us from pride; 3) they cause us to look beyond this brief life; 4) they give us opportunities to prove our faith to others; and 5) they give God the opportunity to demonstrate his power. See your troubles as opportunities!
Today’s Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father,
You promise to meet all my needs with Your abundant riches. Yet, weeds of pride, worry, and unbelief often choke the peace You offer to me unconditionally. As the true and wonderful gardener, You work to remove these obstacles and distractions.
Your presence brings abundant peace in quiet moments with You, and trials, when faced with trust, yield even more. Thank You for these assurances that give me comfort.
Help me to see troublesome situations as opportunities for growth and to witness Your extreme power.
In Jesus’ name, amen.
