Today we enter the season of Lent and consider the ancient tradition where believers turn their attention towards the events leading up to Christ’s crucifixion, death, and resurrection. This season stretches to Easter Sunday. During this time many choose to fast and enter a period of reflection upon the faith and the sufferings of our Lord. We acknowledge our need for redemption and salvation. We seek to remind ourselves of our utter helplessness and walk the path of dependence upon God in all things.
This is a mindset of which we need to be often reminded. Christ’s path was one of self-sacrifice and suffering. He put the interests of others ahead of his own. And He called us to this path. Often, he spoke to his disciples about his approaching suffering. According to Mark 8:31, “he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.””
Now, today, is a perfect time to dwell on this exchange between Jesus and Peter. How can we set our minds on the things of God, rather than the things of man?
Psalm 51 leads us forward as we plead to God to have mercy on us according to his love and for our transgressions to be blotted out. We ask God to wash us thoroughly from our iniquity and cleanse us from our sins. When we think about God’s abundant mercy, these words do not weigh us down, but liberate and refresh us to know there is a way out of our burdens and God’s love is steadfast towards those who draw near to Him.
Lent - Day 1
Today we enter the season of Lent and consider the ancient tradition where believers turn their attention towards the events leading up to Christ’s crucifixion, death, and resurrection. This season stretches to Easter Sunday. During this time many choose to fast and enter a period of reflection upon the faith and the sufferings of our Lord. We acknowledge our need for redemption and salvation. We seek to remind ourselves of our utter helplessness and walk the path of dependence upon God in all things.
This is a mindset of which we need to be often reminded. Christ’s path was one of self-sacrifice and suffering. He put the interests of others ahead of his own. And He called us to this path. Often, he spoke to his disciples about his approaching suffering. According to Mark 8:31, “he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.””
Now, today, is a perfect time to dwell on this exchange between Jesus and Peter. How can we set our minds on the things of God, rather than the things of man?
Psalm 51 leads us forward as we plead to God to have mercy on us according to his love and for our transgressions to be blotted out. We ask God to wash us thoroughly from our iniquity and cleanse us from our sins. When we think about God’s abundant mercy, these words do not weigh us down, but liberate and refresh us to know there is a way out of our burdens and God’s love is steadfast towards those who draw near to Him.