Lent Day 2
Then Jesus said to His disciples, 'If anyone will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.'" (Matthew 16:24)
Does God really care if I eat chocolate? Watch TV? or Shop?
Simple answer, no.
Complicated answer, yes.
It is not about the candy bars or The Bachelor.
God wants our heart, but it often takes giving up something that we love in order to make space for Him. It is not about giving up chocolate because God wants you to be grumpy or to lose 5lbs. Fasting is about disrupting your schedule and sacrificing something meaningful to draw your attention back to the cross.
Now, we should always be cognizant of what we consume, honor our bodies, and not allow for toxic or harmful choices. Our body is a temple and vessel of the Lord and we must make choices that reflect such.
However, Lent calls us to take it a step further and examine ourselves to see what in our life could be voluntarily sacrificed to put us in a place of discomfort so that we can truly see our need for a Savior. God is honored every time we make the choice to say “no” and deny our fleshly desires, thus redirecting our energy to praising Him for sacrificing His only Son.
Today, when it is tempting to say “I’ll start tomorrow,” or battling picking something that wouldn’t feel like much of a sacrifice, I challenge you to meditate on Jesus’ command to deny yourself and follow Him.
This journey isn’t meant to be a walk in the park. It isn’t meant to feel like a weightless challenge. It is about saying “no” to yourself, and “yes” to Jesus, even if it means missing the season finale of the Bachelor.
Prayer
Lord, I come to you today asking for help and guidance over the course of this Lenten season. I ask that you give me the willpower to say “no” to myself and the courage to follow you. Heavenly Father, help me to gain a better understanding of your love and graciousness so that my faith can be strengthened. Thank you for being willing to sacrifice something SO GREAT, that it would take the place of my sin.
-Amen