Lent
April 12, 2019

Scripture Reading: Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29

You are my God, and I will give thanks to you;
   you are my God, I will extol you.
O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
   for his steadfast love endures forever. Psalm 118:28-29

Why is it so hard for humans to put love first in our lives? If we accept the premise that God is love, why do we invest so much of ourselves being enticed by lesser gods? Dietrich Bonhoeffer describes it as cheap grace:

Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession, absolution without personal confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.

 Costly grace is the treasure hidden in the field; for the sake of it a man will go and sell all that he has. It is the pearl of great price to buy which the merchant will sell all his goods. It is the kingly rule of Christ, for whose sake a man will pluck out the eye which causes him to stumble; it is the call of Jesus Christ at which the disciple leaves his nets and follows him. ― Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship

We construct gods of our own making that do not require us to see ourselves for who we are in the wholeness of our potential. The richer life, fuller life is born of seeing ourselves through the eyes of our Creator and understanding who we are and whose we are in the light of God’s love.

Prayer: Creator God, as you continue to mold and make us in your image, give us the courage to live fully in your love. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.