Whoever wishes to be my follower must deny his very self,
take up his cross each day, and follow in my steps. Luke
9:23
The
season of Lent is a serious time in the Christian year. It is the 40 days that
leads us to Holy Week … and the most joyous day of the year, Easter! When we
proclaim the resurrection of Jesus Christ, his defeat over the grave, and in so
doing acknowledge our own resurrection from a life of sin to a life that
follows our Savior. That being said, see if this prayer sounds familiar to you:
"So
far today, God, I've done all right. I haven't gossiped, I haven't lost
my
temper. I Haven't been grumpy, nasty or selfish. I'm really glad of that. But in a few minutes, God, I'm going
to get out of bed; and from then on, I'm
probably going to need a lot of help."
Well,
we still struggle with our own humanness – which is why we need to carefully
reflect during Lent, and aspire to a higher calling, that is one of not only
following, but serving Jesus Christ. In the course of daily life, we are
routinely asked to sign in, sign on and sign up. We do so without giving it a
thought – at the computer, as a wedding guest, at the bank or when attending a
funeral. We sign when we agree to pay for goods received or when we volunteer
to bake cookies for a fundraiser. We sign forms when we start a new job or
become eligible for Social Security.
Lent is the
season of the church year when we reflect on our relationship with God and
especially the invitation to sign in, sign on and sign up for the journey to
new life in Christ.
During Lent
2012, we will be inspired by two biblical stories: the story of the children of
Israel as they responded to God’s invitation to sign on again and again to the
covenant, and the story of Jesus who shows us that even though signing up may
lead to suffering, God will never abandon us.
Signing on
with God leads to a journey of liberation and healing that is worth living and
encourages us to invite others to consider: “Where
do I sign?
God’s
grace, strength and courage to you this Lenten season!
~Pastor
Todd
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