A Lenten Meditation

There is a common theme coming from the readings for today. It is one from which many of us seem to run - SACRIFICE. In the Old Testament lesson, we hear the old familiar story of Abraham’s willingness to offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice to God. He had so much faith in God that he was ready to kill his son, his own flesh and blood without question and in obedience to God. How many of us would be willing to make such a sacrifice?

Many of us see it as a huge sacrifice to do certain things when it comes to the work of the Lord. To attend Bible Study is a sacrifice for some. To give, whether in stewardship or otherwise, is a sacrifice for others. Even to attend church Sunday after Sunday is a sacrifice for many of us.

But these are sacrifices that all of us should be ready and willing to undertake rather than doing them half heartedly.

Let us ask ourselves this question. If we knew that God had chosen us to be a sacrifice to save the whole world, would we have taken up that mantle? Jesus knew that his sole purpose on earth was to do the will of his Father and to die so that all our souls would have a chance to be freed from the bondage of sin. What if Jesus were to tell God, ‘Life is too sweet, I do not want to die. Why should I have to die to save everyone else?’

Could you imagine what kind of world we would be living in? A world where evil would reign supreme. But Jesus did not make such a statement. He gave himself to save the lives of all who believe in Him and that is the greatest blessing any of us could ever receive.

In St Paul’s letter to the Romans, he affirms our faith by asking this question, “If God is for us, who then is against us?’ If God was willing to sacrifice his own, why then would He not give us everything we ask for in faith. Nothing can separate us from the love of God which was bought for us through Jesus Christ.

Let us use this Lenten Season to examine ourselves, sacrifice ourselves, for the service of God. Let us Give Up the bickering, the back-biting, and everything else that hinders our growth. Let us concentrate wholly on God, so that we, like Jesus, can rise on Easter renewed and ready to do God’s will and boldly say “If God is for us, NOTHING is against us.”

Sharica Sillidy