OK, I started this blog almost two months ago, and I've made 7 posts. Yikes! Time to get back on track. I have covered the "get organized" theme in honor of the New Year, so now I would like to take a more serious turn and focus on Lent.
We are in the Lenten season now, a time leading up to the greatest day of the year, Easter! Christ died for our sins, and paid the price that we could never begin to pay ourselves. That is why we call the Friday before Easter, the Friday He died, "Good Friday." Indeed, the death of Jesus is the single most scandalous event in human history. The only perfect man to ever live, Who never committed a single sin, paying for every single sin ever committed. The Son of the Godhead being separated from His beloved Father for the first time in all eternity. The most unfair moment in history.
It amazes me that God would love us enough to give us His Son. And that Jesus loves us enough to do it for us. If someone wanted to torture my CAT to death for a bunch of people, I would not want to turn him over to them. Yet here is the God of the universe turning His Son over to die for us sinners. John says "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us," and it is so true!
But the story doesn't end there. In fact, if it did, we would have little hope for the future. Paul even said that if it's only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. But Jesus did not stay dead. Instead, He was raised from the dead, and lived and breathed and walked on Earth for 40 more days before being taken up to Heaven! Thank God! It is so amazing to think of this, and to ponder how it was possible. Yet for God, all things are possible.
Some may not take the resurrection of Christ too seriously. He was not the first person in the Bible to raise from the dead, and He wasn't the last. But His resurrection was different. In all the other resurrections, someone else brought the dead person back to life, be it a prophet or an apostle or Christ Himself. But Jesus raised HIMSELF from the dead! God Himself brought Jesus back to life. No human being was involved. It was a miracle within a miracle!
So what can we do to prepare for this season of Lent? A lot of churches do a Lenten fast, giving up something enjoyable for Lent. Loads of books and devotionals have been written just for this season. Some Christians like to read the story of the last week of Jesus' life from the four Gospels during this time. Others watch Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ.
As for me, I'm giving up my beloved coffee for Lent. It's really hard! But whenever I crave coffee, I just pray and thank God for His blessings, especially His Son. I also thank Him that I have plenty of food to eat, and pray for those who don't.
My church doesn't celebrate Lent per se, so it is a new experience for me. I celebrated Lent for the first time last year. I heard several radio preachers talking about it, so I decided to give it a go. I was glad I did! I felt closer to God, and felt like I was really focusing on the season. And let me tell you, that Easter morning cup of coffee was the best I've ever had!
I also like to spend the week of Easter ("Passion Week") reading the last week of Jesus' life. I was struck that He spent the last week of His life reasoning with the religious leaders and trying to get them to see the error of their ways. And how did they thank Him? They killed Him.
The other thing that struck me was this. While He was on the cross, in absolute agony, where was His focus? On His mama. He made sure that she was looked after by turning her care over to John. That has always touched me, and it is a testament that Jesus lived (and died) focused on others.
And that brings me to my final point. What can we do for others this Lenten season? I'm happy that our Ladies' Group at church is making up Easter baskets for our shut-ins. I have a couple of additional people I want to make up gifts for, too. Is there someone we need to visit? Is there an apology or an amend we need to make to someone? Is there something in our lives that is keeping us from God?
Now is the time to prepare our hearts for Easter. What will you do to get ready for the greatest day of the year?
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