Can you believe that we are already in the second month of 2016…CRAZY!
It feels like just yesterday I was giving up cheese for Lent and questioning why in the world I ever thought that would be a good idea!! Man, that was really hard!!!!
Considering tomorrow is the beginning of another Lenten Season, it’s that time again to prepare ourselves for Easter Sunday and the celebration of the risen Christ! Woohoo!!!
According to an article I read on Christianity Today, “For Lent last year, more than 400,000 people tweeted what they were giving up during the week of Ash Wednesday. The top five choices: School, chocolate, Twitter itself, alcohol, and social networking.”
I totally get every one of those items except for “school.” That seems odd (and not much of a sacrifice). Things that make you go hmmmm….
Anyway, this year I’m not so sure I will be giving anything up for Lent. I’m thinking instead I would rather add a service project or something of the like. This way I’ll be taking ACTION.
Regardless of what I decide, the whole object of the Lenten Season is to sacrifice ourselves in remembrance of the ransom that was paid by Jesus.
Even though we cannot compare to His sacrifice, we can prayerfully consider what Jesus did for us by allowing His blood to be shed in atonement for our sins.
This consideration should then turn into actions that are befitting of one who believes in Christ such as:
Give money to the poor.
Do something for someone else.
Love the least, lost and lonely.
Be kind to someone that is hard to love.
Give time to a service project or mission.
These small actions may not be much for us, but they may mean the world to the person we do them to.
We will never compare to the sacrifice that Jesus made, but we can remember and be thankful for what He did for us on that cross and subsequently live better because of it!!
I don’t know about you, but when I think of Jesus on the cross I’m always filled with grief because I’m one of the reasons He was up there. However, then I read scriptures of what was done prior to the crucifixion and I’m almost sickened by our lack of humanity towards the Son of God.
“They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. ‘Hail, the king of the Jews!’ they said. They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again.” Matthew 27:28-30
I’m shocked He saved us!! We deserve no less than death for our sins, but the good news is that Jesus CHOSE to save us even while we were still sinners.
Human minds can’t grasp that kind of sacrifice, so thank goodness we have a God who is the ultimate example of love.
Therefore, as we travel through the next several weeks towards Holy Week, draw yourself closer to Christ and remember that He sacrificed His life for ours. Take action to show your gratitude!!!
Some Wisdom for Today: Proverbs 21:3 – To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.
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