Luke 13:31-35, Philippians 3:17-4:1
Lent is that time for us to take a serious look at how we live. Do our values reflect the teaching of Jesus, or are they more reflective of a world turned inward upon itself? Our Lord Jesus calls us to focus on the things from above, and to pay much less attention to what Paul calls the things of the belly. Truth be told, the devil and all the powers that defy God would rather we did not spend our time in such reflection.
The powers that defy God would rather have us look only at what he places in front of us. The tempter entices Christians by placing stumbling blocks along our path so that, left on our own, we would more often choose the way of the world over the way of Christ. The devil takes great delight in leading a child of God into a life filled with the empty promises of this world.
And so, especially during the season of Lent, the Church turns to Christ, in order that we might meet him at the cross and worship him. Not to simply worship him with the words that come from out of our mouths, but to worship him in the way in which we live.
Prayer: Most holy God, fill us with your Spirit, that we may conform our lives to Christ our Lord. Amen.
In the Beginning 