D
evotion for Thursday, April 9
What a Lenten Season This Has Been!
"And this is God's plan: Both Gentiles and Jews who believe the Good News share equally in the riches inherited by God's children. Both are part of the same body, and both enjoy the promise of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus."
Ephesians 3:6
Do you remember discussing what you might "sacrifice" during Lent before it got started? Did you consider giving up that extra snack?... or something small like that? Did you consider something more challenging; like reducing your "screen time" spent looking at your phone, computer, TV or tablet? Did you consider even more difficult challenges like trying to minimize any negative behaviors?
Well, let's take some time and look back at these past weeks and consider what actually happened. We all sacrificed being together for worship. But, perhaps, we spent more time "in the Word". We sacrificed close personal contact with family and friends. But, maybe, we shared the love of Christ through contact by means of technology. We may have even spent more time in contact with each person and spent more time in contact with more people than our otherwise busy schedules would have previously allowed. Did we have an opportunity to experience that sometimes it's Ok to slow down...and maybe learn how to relax a little?
We may have sacrificed going out for sit-down dinners, going to the movies, playing golf, going shopping for things that we don't really, urgently need, going to get our hair done, and so on, and so on. But we have also gained.
Isn't the time of Lent supposed to be a time of reflection and a time to grow closer to God? Well, if this hasn't been a great time for reflection; a time to see the blessings, then I don't know when that will be. And in this time of reflection, have we looked for the blessings? They have been there for us to see. Sometimes they're obvious like the brightly colored chalk message written on the black pavement of a driveway that said "Look for the Good"; or the tress starting to blossom; or the birds singing. Sometimes we know blessings are there even if we don't directly see them, like; hospital workers, police and fire personnel, people who work in grocery stores and all other lines of essential work that makes our lives better. Sometimes the blessings are spiritual, like: a deeper appreciation for the life and love God has given us or being more thankful for all that God provides for us.
Now is a good time to take a bit of time to consider all the blessings that have come to us and will yet come to us from everything we have experiences in these past weeks. May you continue to find many blessings!
Let us pray: Father God, let us always be thankful for the blessings we receive from You. Thank you for so many people who are blessings to others. Help us, each in Your appointed way, to be a blessing to someone else. Amen
Denise Clark, CSM
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