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The 40-Days of Lent



There is a God, and it is not me! It is not you! We are not only mortal humans, but sinful and broken people who need a Savior. The name of our Savior is Jesus Christ the Son of the Living God. He comes to save us from ourselves as well as our sins and to restore our relationship with God as our Heavenly Father.
 
We need the season of Lent to confront and deal with our human condition. That is what the forty days of Lent is about! Lent reminds us of our sinfulness and humanness that separates us from a redeemed relationship with God. We must deal with everything! Decisions. Lifestyles. Conduct. Witness. Choices. Habits. Addictions. All of it!
 
Lent reminds us that we cannot save ourselves, fix, repair or take back anything nor can we ever meet God’s Holy standards on our own. We are also reminded that we can never earn our salvation through works (doing things) nor by trying to win God’s favor through strict adherence to religious duties or rituals.
 
Lent reminds us to make the necessary sacrifices in order to bridle and subdue the sinful nature lurking deep in our hearts. We do this by obedience, self-control, and making the willful choice to live God’s way and not our own.
 
It starts with obedience to the ways of God. 1 Samuel 15:22, “But Samuel replied, “What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.”
 
Lent also reminds us of the words of God to Adam in Genesis 3:19, “For you were made from dust, and to dust you will return.” We must deal with the fact, that we will not live forever as a mortal human. One day, we will face death and go into eternity to only one of two places. Lent helps us face the reality that Hell is just as real as Heaven.
 
Therefore, we must deal with the sin that brought the sting of death into this world. We must have a season where we focus on where we fall short and even where we totally miss the mark or are off course in our faith. Lent encourages us to take the measures necessary to strip ourselves of any sinful behaviors and habits that draw us away from Christ to lead us back slowly and meticulously to selfishness and waywardness.
 
Because of Lent that leads us to Easter, we can begin to live victorious lives each and every day as people of God. We can discover, with the Holy Spirit, that we can leave our sinfulness behind, overcome any habits, addictions, or wayward thinking to be Holy as God is Holy (1 Peter 1:16). In Methodism, we call this “sanctifying grace” or “going on towards perfection!” It is a daily surrender. A choice and mindset for every moment and every experience encountered in our lives. We must choose God’s ways over our ways.
 
If you are not sure where to start, I suggest getting the New Testament book of John, and begin making your way through chapters 11-19 to hear about the Lord’s passion and death…this will give us a better understanding and a hope during the Lenten season. Once we grasp that “now,” the greater the reason we’ll have to celebrate and be joyful on Easter Sunday when we hear about how Jesus rose from the dead, defeated death, walked away from the grave and now lives again….forever!
 
So, the forty days of the Lenten season is a powerful time for us. We recognize our humanness, but don’t allow such humanness to become an excuse for not trying harder or to be justification for not making some type of effort to be a holy people.
 
We can take the season of Lent and meditate about Jesus and all that He went through to offer Himself up for us to die on the cross so that forgiveness, reconciliation, and eternal life in Heaven could even be possible. Jesus gives us hope and assurance that we can overcome sin, our past and even defeat those things that try to defeat us.
 
Let us be mindful and willing to take advantage of this crucial season to strip ourselves of the humanness that fails us and deepen our resolve to invite holiness into our lives that brings a personal relationship filled with victory, life, and joy with Jesus Christ.

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