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28/04/2022

You can't have both!

06/04/2022

The angel greets the startled women at the empty tomb. When I dwell on the angel’s words, deeper truths resonate with me.

The angel is not simply there as a greeter at an exhibit. I love his insightful comment, “I know you’re looking for Jesus.”

In some way, aren’t we all? We are all seekers on the journey of life. Some of us have found Jesus but still have a way to go to discover him more. Some of us are yet to discover the sweet joy of knowing him.

Either way, the answer lies in the empty tomb. He is the resurrection and the life for all who seek Him.

The angel invites the women to “come and see.” Every seeker discovers Jesus through a personal experience. It has to be a one-on-one transaction: my sin for his forgiveness. I have to come to Jesus, just as I am, without one plea, but that his blood was shed me.

Bringing It Home

Where am I on my journey of seeking God? Do I need to “come and see?”

Lean In
Father, Thank you for putting that God-shaped vacuum in my heart. Nothing I have and nothing I do can fill that void. So, I simply come to Jesus. Amen

05/04/2022

And we thought women’s empowerment was a recent phenomenon.

I believe that God was a proponent of equal rights from the very moment he created Adam and Eve (equal status but distinct roles). But in today’s passage, we see how God takes societal norms and dismisses them with a wave of his hand.

It was not coincidental that the women were the ones who discovered the empty tomb. It was God ordained. It was God saying to us that women are valuable to his kingdom. It was God taking the world order and turning it upside down.

Culturally, women at the time were to remain in the background. But God restores them to their rightful role as important participants in his kingdom. He gives the women at the tomb the significant commission of being his first witnesses.

Bringing It Home
Do I see myself and other women as being a key part of God’s kingdom on earth?

Lean In
Heavenly Father, Thank you for the place of honor you’ve given women in your Word. Today, it seems like women are fighting to be heard and seen and acknowledged. But I thank you that you see us, you hear us and you empower us with important work for your kingdom. Amen

04/04/2022

The empty tomb.
Death could not keep him down. He is risen. Our God conquered sin and death.
I reflect on the words of the song, “In Christ Alone”

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life's first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
Till He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand
That same resurrection power is at work in us today!

Bringing It Home
Do I believe that Christ’s resurrection power is at work in me through his Holy Spirit? What does that mean for my life?

Lean In
Almighty God, You defeated the grave and conquered sin. Once and for all. Teach me to live in the light of your sacrifice and in the power of your resurrection. Amen

01/04/2022

The magnitude of Jesus’ crucifixion was reflected in nature. Darkness covered the land, the earth shook violently, rocks split.

There was no way anyone who witnessed this could have put all these signs down to coincidence. Nature was echoing the utter devastation of the moment.

The centurion and his cronies gasped in terror, finally recognizing that Jesus was the Son of God.

But recognizing that fact and putting one’s faith in Jesus are two entirely different things. In fact, even Satan recognizes that Jesus is the Son of God. What you do with that acknowledgement is what determines your life here and forever.

Nature testifies to the glorious power of God. In Romans 1, Paul writes: For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

Let’s not stop at exclaiming, “Surely, he was the Son of God.” Let’s say with delight that surely he is my God.

Bringing It Home
What am I doing with my knowledge of God? Is it changing the way I live?

Lean In
Gracious God, Sometimes, I get caught up in head knowledge. It doesn’t translate into heart knowledge. I don’t allow your truth to change me. Forgive me for being callous and careless about your Word. Amen

31/03/2022

What a dramatic moment. The curtain of the temple was torn into two.
The curtain – that separated the Holy of Holies from the worshipers – was a heavy piece of fabric. According to historical accounts, it was 45-60 feet long and about 4 inches thick. This was not a flimsy strip of material. And it split from top to bottom.

The tearing of the curtain was supernatural and it pointed to the fact that Jesus’ death gives us - a broken and sinful humanity - the right to come into the Holy of Holies and have a relationship with God.

Maybe we should ask ourselves what kinds of curtains or veils we hide behind. What stops us from entering into an intimate communion with God?

Could it be that my past is too murky? Or that I first need to get things in order? Could the curtain be that I’m still in love with all things worldly?

We need to believe that the curtain has already been torn. Hebrews 10:19-20 says that the faithful enter into the sanctuary by the “blood of Jesus, by the new and living way which he opened for us through the veil, that is, through his flesh.”

Jesus’ flesh was torn so all could enter that innermost sanctuary.

As long as we want to keep the curtain closed, we will never to be able to see the beauty of the Lord.

Bringing It Home
What keeps me from coming into the Holy of Holies? What curtain do I hide behind? Am I approaching the throne of grace with confidence?

Lean In
Father God, Thank you that you so loved the world that you gave your only Son. Thank you that he became the veil that was torn so we could enter into the Holy of Holies. Amen

30/03/2022

As we wrap up the section on Jesus’ sayings from the Cross, let’s spend a few minutes in the lost art of Christian meditation.

This is not an emptying of the mind nor is it repetitive mumbo jumbo. This is about meditating on the Word of God. It means dwelling on and dwelling in that Word as we hide it in our hearts. This is not a new-fangled, mystical asceticism.

This is what David spoke about in the Psalms when he said “blessed” is the one who “delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night” (Psalm 1:2)

Today, spend a few minutes going over the last words of Jesus that we read in the last seven meditations.

Listen to or sing aloud this hymn written by Isaac Watts:

When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.

See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down!
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.

Lean In
Heavenly Father, I think on these words: “Did e’re such love and sorrow meet?” Never has there been, and never will there be, such a poignant yet powerful melding of love and sacrifice. Calvary was a historical benchmark. Never let me lose sight of the depth of your sacrifice in sending Jesus as the Perfect Passover Lamb who redeems me forever. Amen

29/03/2022

Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last.

The closing statement. It was not bombastic. It was not an “I have done it” proclamation. It was not a theological discourse.

It was a Son’s simple trust in a good, good Father. It was Jesus showing us what it means to trust God 100 percent. It was Jesus showing us how he laid down his right to live. It was Jesus showing us how to die.

Dr. William Barclay writes, "Jesus died with a prayer on his lips. `Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.' This was Psalm 31: 5 with one word added: Father. It showed that after his cry, “My God, my god, why has thou forsaken me?” Jesus was now back to addressing God as “Father,” re-establishing intimacy within the Trinity.

He died in perfect peace commending himself to the One who he knew best.

Bringing It Home
What is God asking me to commit to Him? Am I trusting an unknown future to a known God?

Lean In
Father God, Thank you for the intimacy with his Father that Christ displayed in that very last moment on the Cross. Thank you for the peace with which he breathed his last – the peace that is readily available for all who believe. Help me trust you for tomorrow and for all eternity. Amen

28/03/2022

When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Those three words – It is finished - are a declaration of victory

Jesus uses a rather unusual sentence syntax. Correct grammar would have been: It has been finished.

Yet, Jesus deliberately compromises his grammar to declare that the effect of his sacrifice is for all time. He is for today. His sacrifice is for now, as much as it was for then.

Jesus had completed the mission he had come for. It was completed to perfection. He had poured out his life even unto death. He made it possible for a sinful humanity to have an eternal relationship with a Holy God.

Nothing needs to be added to it. No good works. No more sacrifice. This was the greatest victory in the human race. Victory over sin and death.

Bringing It Home
Do I believe that I have victory over sin because of the Cross? Or do I somehow feel like I’m not strong enough to withstand the tides of depravity that the world brings in? Do I cling to the Cross not only for salvation but for daily triumph over sin?

Lean In
Father God, Sometimes, I fall into habitual sin. I forget that you have won the victory. Help me grasp that “it is finished.” All I do is accept that gift and rest in what you have accomplished. Amen

25/03/2022

When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.

As Jesus hung on the cross, his sayings, thus far, have been others’ focused. He asked for forgiveness for his crucifiers. He welcomed the thief into the kingdom. And in today’s reading, he takes care of his mother, Mary, and his disciple John.

Even in the torture and humiliation, Jesus did not focus on himself. He wanted to make sure his mother would be taken care of. (It’s a well-established fact that Mary’s husband, Joseph, had died by then). Jesus wanted to give his beloved disciple John the important role of caring for Mary.

Even from the cross, Jesus let go of that which was close to his heart: his mother and his close friend.

Bringing It Home
What or whom I am holding on to too tightly? Is God convicting me of letting go of someone or something and trusting Him for that submission?

Lean In
Father, I know I cling too much to certain people and certain ideas of how life should be. Yes, it’s sometimes scary to let go but help me remember that I’m releasing those things or people to the God who sent his one and only Son to Calvary for my sake. Amen

24/03/2022

Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

The thief on the cross next to Jesus heard his cries asking for the forgiveness of those who were nailing him.

He knew that there was something different about the man who hung next to him. We don’t know the turning point, but the thief says to him, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

That word “kingdom” is key. The thief and certifiably “bad guy” recognized that the man who was bruised and beaten and hanging on a wooden cross was the King.

He put his faith in this unlikely ruler.

And Jesus accepts this convicted criminal in an instant. Jesus gives up his right to social correctness. He lets go of any notion of what is socially acceptable or considered morally upright.

The thief put his faith in Jesus. And Jesus exchanged the thief’s filthy rags with robes of righteousness. No transaction fee charged. No questions asked.

Bringing It Home
Am I holding on to some obnoxious sense of what is “socially acceptable” to God? Do I subconsciously write off some people as “beyond redemption”? What can I do to truly grasp that salvation is a free gift for ALL who believe?

Lean In
Heavenly Father, Thank you for the reassuring words of Jesus to the thief. They weren’t just empty placebos. Jesus sealed the promise he made with his blood. Thank you that he let go of the sense of social correctness in order to display his grace. Help me to do the same. Amen

23/03/2022

Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”
Even as the nails were being driven into his hands and feet, Jesus was saying these words. With every blow of the hammer pounding into his fists.
Were the Roman soldiers sorry? Did the Pharisees express any remorse? Did they offer an apology?
No.
Yet, Jesus offers forgiveness. Unilateral forgiveness or one-sided forgiveness. He didn’t need them to be sorry or ask for forgiveness.
He showed us what it means to give up your rights. Even your right for retaliation.
In doing so, he dies free from resentment. He said the words aloud to show us what it means to release people from a hold of anger and, in turn, release ourselves from the pressure cooker of bitterness.

Bringing It Home
Whom do I need to release in forgiveness just as Christ has forgiven me? Am I willing to let go of my right to retaliation? Am I trusting God to vindicate me and my cause?

Lean In
Father God, I don’t deserve the forgiveness that you offer so freely through your Son. I pray that you will help me give up my right of being right, and my right to retaliation. Help me know that when I release people in forgiveness, I am, in fact, releasing myself to live a fuller, freer life. Amen

21/03/2022

Sometimes, we just need to stop awhile and let the hard truth sink in.

Today’s passage doesn’t require explanations or key takeaways.

It requires deep, soulful reflection on all that Jesus endured for me.

It requires that I don’t brush away the brutality of that day 2000 years ago.

It mandates that I allow the Holy Spirit to chisel away at the hardness of my heart.

Some 200 soldiers gathered around the Son of God with the sole intent of humiliating and torturing him.

Did you read that they had him flogged? It wasn’t an ordinary whip. Pieces of metal and bones were attached to it. Many convicted felons died when being flogged as their flesh was literally torn to shreds.

Did you read of how they struck him on the head again and again? With a staff. On his head. Again and again.

Did you read of how they mocked him? After parading him in a scarlet robe, they pushed down a crown of thorns on his head. They called out hateful words and spat upon him.

Today’s passage doesn’t require explanations or key takeaways.

It requires deep, soulful reflection on all that Christ endured for me.

Bringing It Home

Have I become casual in my reflection of Christ’s suffering? Do I allow the hate and hurt of that day to change who I am and Whose I am today?

Lean In

Lord Jesus, I can’t begin to understand the torture and humiliation that you went through on my behalf. But my heart responds in thankfulness. You are altogether perfect and lovely. Amen

19/03/2022

18/03/2022

I’ve always read the section about the chief priests buying the potter’s field in passing. Recently, though, the ludicrousness of it struck me. It’s almost laughable just how misguided and skewed the chief priests’ thinking was.

They didn’t want to put the blood money in the treasury for it was “against the law.” Instead, they used it for a real estate investment. The chief priests are classic examples of what it means to follow the letter of the law, but continue life with an unrelenting hardness of heart.

They were concerned about appearing righteous but didn’t really care about being made righteous. They preferred distraction over contrition.

Sometimes, we just want to check off all the boxes that make us appear a certain way. We don’t allow God to address the root of the problem or to change us from the inside out. The enemy loves to keep us in this bubble of delusion so we don’t fall on our knees before God.

Bringing It In
In which areas am I simply playing along to the world’s standards and living in misguided self-righteousness? Am I more concerned about how my actions look on the outside or how I can be changed on the inside?

Lean In
Heavenly Father, Help me take the time to be in your presence and allow your light to shine into my life. Reveal to me areas where I can change by the power of your Holy Spirit. Help me never to hide my sin under layers of distraction, busyness or foolish acts of self-righteousness. Amen

18/03/2022

Possessing the Mountain Day 4

17/03/2022

What a dark passage. The verdict is delivered. Jesus is bound and taken away. And, all of a sudden, Judas is filled with remorse over what he has done.

He tries to assuage his guilt by returning the 30 pieces of silver. He tries owning up to his sin – but he confesses to the wrong people. In quelling his guilt, he makes a huge blunder – he doesn’t seek forgiveness from a God of grace. He tries to “fix” his sin on his own terms. He decides to take things into his own hands. Including his very life.

Remorse and regret over sin are only starting points. True brokenness and confession before God is where forgiveness – and the ensuing freedom – lies. The Bible says that when we confess our sin God is faithful to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

A sinful life is just a life waiting to be redeemed.

Bringing It Home
Am I trying to fix my failures on my own terms? Am I coming to God with a brokenness over my sin? Do I remember that the depravity of my sin can never surpass the depth of God’s grace?

Lean In
Heavenly Father, Help me remember that I can never fix my sin problem. Help me remember that I can’t ever exhaust your grace, however extensive my mistakes may be. In repentance and rest is my salvation. Amen

16/03/2022

Today, we read the familiar story of Peter’s denial. Each time he is asked whether he knew Jesus, Peter grows more vehement in his rejection of him.

Peter who had earlier professed that he would lay down his life for Jesus is now scared off by a servant girl.

When the rooster crows, Peter remembers – the conviction in his heart is immediate. He weeps bitterly.

While the passage doesn’t mention it, Peter becomes the first great voice of the gospel.

Underneath his mistake were the arms of Jesus. Peter allowed the conviction of sin to strike him and he allowed the forgiveness of sin to lift him up again.

I think of the verse: though he stumble, he will not fall for the Lord upholds him with his hand (Psalm 37: 24). That was Peter. And that was his faithful God.

Our smallest goof-ups and blunders and our biggest, darkest sin – none of it is beyond God’s redemption.

Bringing It Home
Do I sometimes feel like God can’t forgive me of a certain sin? Do I feel like even if God forgives me, I can’t forgive myself? What if God is telling me that the slate is wiped clean and that he has put a new spirit within me?

Lean In
Father God, Thank you for your grace and forgiveness. I don’t deserve the second, third, sometimes hundredth chance you give me. You are faithful and you lift me out from the ashes and put a new song on my lips. Amen

15/03/2022

Within a span of a few hours, Jesus experienced the pain and injustice that no one should have to go through. Especially not the only sinless man who ever lived.

He was betrayed by Judas, arrested by a mob, deserted by his disciples, denied by Peter, paraded before a court that plied him with mocking questions and false accusations. He was attacked, blindfolded, spat upon, slapped and struck with fists. And all of this happened before he carried that cross to Golgotha.

We do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize with us. Jesus was tested and tempted in every way – and yet was without sin.

When we are going through tough times, it would be shallow to proclaim that “God doesn’t understand.” Because He does. He went through every physical, spiritual and emotional battle there was – and came out victorious.

Bringing It Home

Do I sometimes feel like God just doesn’t “get” it? What do I need to remember in those instances? What can I praise God for today?

Lean In

Jesus, You went through every form of suffering for my sake. Thank you that today you sit at the right hand of the Father and you intercede for us. Thank you that you do understand. Amen

14/03/2022

What caused them to split? They panicked when the pressure mounted and they lost sight of the eternal. The visible and the tangible filled them with dread. This, after all, was not how things were supposed to turn out, they probably reasoned. Their teacher and their Lord, whom they had followed for three years, had promised a new kingdom. An arrest by an angry mob was not in the script.

We, too, allow circumstances to get too big and God to become small. We fear the unknown. We make hasty decisions instead of trusting a God who is always on time.

Bringing It Home

What do I do when I’m faced by the unknown? Do I give into panic? Or do I buckle down and trust what I know to be true of God?

Lean In

Father, I ask that you replace my fear of the unknown with a deep trust in a sovereign God. I ask that for a closer walk with you, so that faith edges out fear and I learn to walk in victory. Amen

11/03/2022

Three times. The same prayer. Jesus of course knew that each time his Father had heard him. They shared a closeness that is not humanly comprehensible. The Father and the Son were part of the Trinity, the one and the same God. So, why did Jesus go to the Father three times to say pretty much the same thing?

Perhaps it was to show us that we need to persist in prayer till we experience the rest that only he can give. Jesus did. He poured out in prayer what was pressing down on his heart. And once he found his place of joyful surrender, he got up and followed through in absolute obedience.

Like Jesus, we too have the privilege of pouring out our hearts in persistent prayer. It’s not about twisting God’s arm to get what we want. It’s about learning to yield to him more completely. And like Jesus, we rise from our knees knowing that God has heard us and that ours is the victory.

Bringing It Home

What is pressing down on my heart today? Am I taking it to God in prayer? Am I experiencing his rest? Am I moving forward in obedience?

Lean In

Father God, Thank you for the incredible privilege of calling out to you in prayer. Thank you for Jesus’ example of coming to you persistently. Help me to persevere in prayer till I experience the peace and that inner strengthening at the very core of my being. Amen

10/03/2022

“Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” This was the question Jesus poses to his closest disciples as they dozed off instead of praying with him.

I don’t see Jesus as being annoyed by their lethargy. His question ran deeper. He knew that these moments in the Garden of Gethsemane were crucial. It would be a time of preparation through prayer. Preparation for the intense challenges that lay ahead.

“Watch and pray so you will not fall into temptation,” he warns the three disciples whom he had called with him.

We know what comes later. When the going got tough, the disciples scattered like the wind. I can’t help but wonder: what if they, like Jesus, had wrestled in prayer till they came to a point of complete obedience and surrender? Would they have been able to stand their ground when Jesus was arrested?

Jesus knew just how fragile their faith could be. And he gave them – and gives us – the armor of prayer to guard against that fragility.

Bringing It Home
What is my instinctual response in the face of pressure? Do I spend time in prayer to prepare for my daily battles? Do I go in fight or flight mode? Or do I stay in faith mode, depending on God to see me through?

Lean In
Father God, help me never to discount the power of prayer. Help me carve out time to spend at your feet, wrestling with you in prayer so I gain the spiritual mettle I need to face challenges. I need that alone time with you to prepare so I don’t fall into temptation. Amen

09/03/2022

Today’s reading is just one verse. Yet, those few words are heavy with emotion. We see Jesus alone in the Garden of Gethsemane, crying out to his Father.

In the rawness of emotion, Jesus cries out, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me…”

He is doubled over in anguish. We see his humanity. He is about to face unbounded physical torture. But worse than that, he knew that he would experience an isolation like never before – when his Father would turn his face away as Jesus took on the depravity and sin of the world.

And then he continues to pray. “Yet, not as I will, but as you will.”

It was a moment when the human and the divine come together in one of the greatest acts of love and obedience.

He who knew no sin would become sin so that we might be the righteousness of God. Unbounded grace. Undeserved favor.

No condemnation now I dread. Jesus, and all in him, is mine.

Bringing It Home
What’s my response to Jesus’ obedience to God the Father? What’s my response to his anguish in the garden? Do I fall on my knees in worship before a God who knew the torturous journey that lay ahead and yet determined to follow through? Do I allow it to become a personal revelation for my life?

Lean In
Sweet Jesus, I cannot begin to understand that moment in the Garden of Gethsemane. You were alone in the dark of the night. But it was nothing compared to the isolation you would experience on the Cross. Yet you chose to walk in obedience. You demonstrated your love for a hurting humanity by simply saying, “but as you will.” I bow down in awe. Amen

08/03/2022

The scene in today’s reading shifts from the Upper Room to the Garden of Gethsemane. The mood gets heavier and more somber. Jesus calls three of his closest disciples and summons them to pray with him.

While I’ve mulled over Jesus’ tribulation in the garden before, I’ve never dwelt on the fact that he invited his friends to grieve with him and pray with him.

It’s not like the God of this universe needed them. It’s not like he didn’t know they would be catching up on naps instead of praying.

Yet, by sharing his sorrow with them, Jesus was clearly demonstrating that it’s okay to share your heart’s burdens with others. Just because you have God in your life doesn’t mean you have to be poised and stoic and invulnerable. It’s okay to say, “Hey, would you mind coming along with me for this?” and give someone else the opportunity to pray with you and for you.

Jesus displayed a beautiful openness in inviting his closest disciples to come alongside him.

No, we don’t depend entirely on our loved ones. Nor do we act like faith erases them from the picture.

Bringing It Home
What am I trying to handle alone today? Has God shown me specific people I can share my heartaches and my dreams with? Am I willing to be invited into another person’s burden, even if it means sacrificing my time and my pursuits?

Lean In
Heavenly Father, Help me grasp the fact that asking for help or asking for prayer does not chip away at my faith. Help me to be humble enough to invite people I trust to come alongside me on my faith walk. Amen

07/03/2022

Good Ol’ Peter. He was such a loyal friend. He was so full of enthusiasm and zest for the kingdom of God. Never would he have imagined that he would turn his back on his closest friend and teacher, Jesus. Peter was in denial of his impending denial.

In verse 33 of Matthew 26 we read Peter’s words: Even if the others fall away on account of you, I never will.

He is so sure of himself and his sense of loyalty.

And that’s where the problem lies. Peter was, perhaps, depending on his own ability to stand strong in the midst of pressure.

It brings to mind the warning in 1 Corinthians where Scripture predicts this fallacy of self-assuredness: If you think you’re standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall.

What if instead of responding to Jesus’ prophecy of his denial with a “Me? No Way!” Peter had humbly said, “Me? Really? Can you show me how I can stay strong because on my own I’m really, really weak.”

Vulnerability before God is a safe place. It’s the first step in growing in faith.

Bringing It Home
Am I sometimes bombastic in my faith assuming that I won’t ever fall? Am I willing to be vulnerable before God and ask him for supernatural strength in my faith walk because on my own I absolutely cannot make it through?

Lean In
Father, I don’t want to do life without depending on you. In you I live and move and have my being. I can’t stand firm unless I’m standing on the Rock that is higher than I. Thank you for being my Rock. Amen

04/03/2022

Jesus’ disciples prepared for the Passover meal. As we read these verses, let’s look at three simple things they did in preparation: 1. They came to Jesus 2. They asked Jesus and 3. They obeyed Jesus.

This season of Lent, we too are preparing for the day when we remember Jesus as our sinless Passover Lamb. But are we attempting to prepare on our terms or on his? Is our preparation during Lent merely dedicated to outward trappings - or are we waiting on Jesus, listening to him and following in obedience?

This season of preparation, let’s first come to him divested of our own agendas. Let’s wait on him in humility. Let’s listen to his voice. And, most importantly, let’s not be just hearers, but also doers of the Word. The disciples “did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover.” How are you and I preparing?

Bringing It Home

What am I “giving up” for Lent? Is it something that God has convicted me about? Is my preparation more external than it is internal? Am I waiting on God and am I prepared to come to him on his terms?

Lean In

Father God, Sometimes it’s so easy to fall back on routine and ritual when it comes to Lent. We unthinkingly give up one thing or another, assuaging our guilt to quickly don a slightly self-righteous mantle. I pray for a renewed vision this Lent. Help me to come to you in true humility and allow you to prune me as you will. Amen.