Lenten Devotion 2

So, once again, awesome Wesley devotions for Lent. (To check out more, see the Wesley blog: http://uncwesleyfootprints.wordpress.com/
.) But this one kinda grabbed me- I like the way old things are said in new-ish ways. It's a conglomeration of a lot of good phrases. Enjoy!


Romans 5:1-2
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him, we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

This passage reminds us of the sheer magnitude of the impact of Christ’s sacrifice on our lives. We remember, as we prepare for the celebration of the Resurrection, the new life we have been given in the Spirit through Jesus. We remember God’s unconditional love, that no matter what we may do, no matter how far we may try to stray from the path that God has set before us, God is with us, always. We remember the example Christ has set before us, when He said, “Yet not my will be done, but Yours,” as we recognize that our justification through faith is not a license to stray but an invitation to stay, a call to relationship with God. Through Christ, we find that we are indeed able to be at peace, and it is a gift freely given, but it is a gift that we must strive to accept each and every moment of our lives. Finding our way in the world, how we relate to the world and how we live our lives while focusing on something beyond ourselves, is a real challenge, and I hope that we can find it in ourselves to live that challenge. It is difficult, it is perhaps the hardest thing we’ll ever have to do, to live counter-culturally in a society that encourages conformation, but the reward is greater than we can imagine...a life of joy and peace in God.
Gracious God, we thank you for the amazing gift you’ve given us, for the fact that, despite the enormity of our debt, you have forgiven us, and you still seek us out even when we run from you. Lord, we pray for the wisdom to seek you with as much fervor as you seek us, and for the strength and patience to return to you even when we stray. Amen

BWAlmostThere!L,
Jake