Devotion
Repent and Believe the Good News
Frances Taylor
We have heard these words many times as they were said to us while ashes were placed on our foreheads on Ash Wednesdays over the years as a sign of repentance. What is the "Good News?"
For Noah, it meant that God had made a promise to never allow floods to destroy the earth. For Abraham, it was a promise that he would become the father of a great nation and that he would be a blessing for his people. For Moses, the Ten Commandments were the sign of a new covenant with the people as they formed a nation. Throughout the Old Testament, God made covenants with the people and with Jesus, those covenants came to fulfillment.
For us, the Good News is that Jesus has come to save us through his life, death and resurrection. When we come to a true, conscious belief in this truth, our lives must change. We see the need to repent, to examine our lives, take stock and see what we can do to be better witnesses of Christ. Lent is the time the church year gives us for this process. Jesus' words at the Last Supper tell us that his blood is the blood of this New Covenant. In the understanding of those who lived in the time of Jesus, covenants were more than just a contract or promise, as anyone who broke a covenant was subject to death. And yet God never demanded our death – or Abraham's or Noah's, or Moses' – if we or they broke the covenant. However, we are called to do our part. As we continue our Lenten journey, may we all reexamine our commitment to Christ, truly believe the Good News and let our actions follow.
Prayer
Father, forgive me for me sins. Let this season of Lent help me to truly repent, to work to correct my faults and become more the person God created me to be. Amen.
Night Prayer
I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me.
Inspiration
When we wake up in the morning, what is the first thing to come to mind? For many of us, we start thinking about our morning routine or looking ahead to a busy workday and all that we have to do. How often do we take a moment to appreciate the gift of sleep and the gift of a new day? God graciously sustains us in our activity and in our rest, using each to make the other more fulfilling.
Prayer
Lord, sometimes I neglect to thank You for the simple gifts. Today I pause to thank You for each day that You give me, and for the opportunities to be active and serve You. And thank You for capping each day off with rest so that I may have relief from the day past and strength for the day ahead. In Jesus’ name, amen.
