This afternoon, I took the opportunity to attend stations of the cross. While I'd love to say that this was an choice, it was one of those "requirements" for school. Check!
Well...God surely spoke to me in the repetition of a few phrases: Jesus Died on the cross to save us from our sins. Jesus rose from the dead to give us new life. Jesus, thank you for loving us so much.
It's as simple as that...Jesus did all of this: this journey, this fast, this death...for us. My Lenten promise is to work on my word choice. Am I always speaking as Jesus would? Am I always representing Christianity through my words? While it's difficult at times, it is okay to fall. Jesus, thank you for loving us so much that you can forgive me even in a time of repentance. Thank you for giving us new life. Thank you for saving me from my sins. Please continue to watch over me and give me opportunities to strengthen.
It's so interesting you mention the fact that "it's okay to fall". I am reading this Henry Nouwen devotional for lent and the mediation yesterday was about the fact that sometimes we do wander away from God, we leave. And God loves us as much in the leaving as He does in the returning. We ARE going to fall, and I think I don't like to admit that. I like to pretend that I don't fall, because I feel that God gets angry or something, but the real truth is, He loves as much when we are sinning as when we are praising His name. His love is that big. The important thing, Nouwen states, is not that we left God, but that we return to Him.
ReplyDeleteLiz, Thank you so much for these words. Sometimes I think I get bogged down by outside pressures that seem to be saying - "You can't fall" - so I fail to admit that I have fallen so that I can find my way back. These lyrics from Audrey Assad really struck me the other day... "I gave you brokenness, You gave me innocence, and now this road leads to GLORY." God wants me in my brokenness so that he can show me that GRACE and GLORY. I need to not let me pride get in the way so that I can be more in tune with the grace God is extending to me in my brokenness. Brokenness is not something to be afraid of, or run from!
ReplyDeleteI love that you said pride gets in the way. This definitely has happened this lent and in general for me. I feel as if my image is more important than my repentance, but God looks at us with open arms when we've fallen. We can work hard, but God does not want us to dwell after He's forgiven us...He wants us to LIVE.
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