Lent

March 12, 2021

Scripture Reading: Ephesians 2:1-10
You were dead through the trespasses and sins in which you once lived, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient. All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, following the desires of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else. But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness towards us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— not the result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life

What is holding us back from being the person God created us to be? Ephesians talks about trespasses and sins holding us back. The word trespass is somewhat archaic to us today. It is a violation of moral or social ethics or an infringement on others’ rights. Since I grew up on a farm, I first learned that trespassing was hunting on someone else’s property without permission. I fear our society has siloed sin into things we would never do so we can condemn those who do those things. However, we must take these words to heart because they can and do make us dead to the abundant life Christ desires for us.

We are having a tough time trying to deal with racism and other forms of oppression. Both infringe on others’ rights. There is an abundance of legislation being considered in many states across our nation trying to define legal ways to limit people’s right to vote. The sponsors did not like the results of the last election. How are our lives improved by denigrating anyone else?

I have probably said this before, but I am stunned by our society, which self-righteously claims to be a Christian nation, basically ignores the Ten Commandments. Adultery, lying, stealing, envy, idol worship, particularly greed and lust for power, are either ignored or identified as pathways to success. History has long demonstrated that such behavior never ends well.

Lent is an excellent time to review how our relationship with Christ shapes us, not how we mold that relationship to support our driving desires.

Prayer: Lord, forgive us when we fail to love you and follow you as our guide. 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.