Several years ago, I began to look at this tradition and how I could make it more meaningful for myself and a way to truly honor God, His amazing sacrifice, and the grace He shows me daily. I came up with the idea of "doing for" others during Lent - "giving up" some of my time, step out of my comfort zone, and make an impact "Jesus-style." Again, my attempt pales in comparison, but I do think it makes a difference to the ones I attempt to bless.
So, on this Ash Wednesday 2014, please join me in not only "Giving Up" like Pastor Phil suggests but I offer up my own list of...
"20 Things to Live Out for Lent" (and bonus! 20+20=40 <- the number of days in Lent!):
1 - joy - remember that there's a difference between being happy and being joyful - I will continue to find joy because of my identity in Christ
2 - patience - I'm not yet what Christ intends for me to be (Philippians 1:6) - I'm not perfect and neither are others, so I need to extend patience to them as well
3 - kindness - living out kindness in the world at every opportunity is what we ALL should be about every single day - what a different earthly experience we would have!
4 - goodness - being a good person is awesome, but we all could stand to step it up a bit here and DO good as well. Find something the world needs and seek to fill that need
5 - gentleness - I struggle with this because I sometimes equate being gentle with being a doormat or allowing others take advantage of me. I need to open up my heart to the possibility that being gentle speaks more to how I treat others than how they treat me
6 - compassion - beyond sympathy into the realm of wanting to alleviate someone's suffering. Just take a look to Mother Theresa as an example of this trait in tandem with gentleness
7 - sincerity - be open. Be genuine. Most of all, just be there for your peeps
8 - courage - Am I living out my relationship with Christ in courage? Sharing my faith is certainly personal, but I think God calls us NOT to keep it private. Have to courage to speak out and up in His name (I most certainly have to pray for this one - daily!)
9 - gratitude - I follow a blog that puts this one nicely "Here's to gratitude and how it turns everything into enough." Lord, let me have a grateful heart
10 - "you-ness" - we each have something entirely different to offer our little corners of the world - without you here, something would be missing. Lord, help me to live out my uniqueness in the world
11 - understanding - seek to understand others. I don't know what things - big and small - have brought others to their current reality
12 - positivity - sometimes hard on this earth, being positive. But there's a WHOLE lotta negative already being lived out - let's start a Positivity Posse! ;)
13 - contentment - I still think Sheryl Crow says it best here - "It's not having what I want but wanting what I've got"
14 - perseverance - doing the right thing all the time can be taxing - persevere, Brave Ones!
15 - encouragement - we all need encouragement on our walks - sometimes it is the fellowship times when I am offered encouragement that get me through those trying times
16 - grace - who am I not to offer grace? For it is through grace that I have been saved! Good golly, pass that on!!
17 - faithfulness - Isn't this how we'll be judged? What have I done with what I know of God? I don't think I'll be judged by how much I know but rather what I've done with what I understand to be true about the character and love of Jesus. (Gotta thank Pastor Tony Vis for this one!)
18 - peace - What gives me peace? The answer to Question 1 of the Heidelberg Catechism - What is my only comfort in life and death? That I am not my own, but belong body and soul, in life and in death to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for my sins by His precious blood and has set me free from the tyranny of the Evil One. He watches over me in such a way that not a hair can fall from my head without the will of my Father in Heaven, in fact all things must work together for my salvation. Therefore it is by His Holy Spirit that I am assured of eternal life and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on to live for Him. So, who wants to sign up for that kind of peace?! Live. It. Out.
That I am not my own, 1
but belong with body and soul,
both in life and in death, 2
to my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ. 3
He has fully paid for all my sins
with his precious blood, 4
and has set me free
from all the power of the devil. 5
He also preserves me in such a way 6
that without the will of my heavenly Father
not a hair can fall from my head; 7
indeed, all things must work together
for my salvation. 8
Therefore, by his Holy Spirit
he also assures me
of eternal life 9
and makes me heartily willing and ready
from now on to live for him.
- See more at: http://www.heidelberg-catechism.com/en/lords-days/1.html#sthash.ZdZqpezI.dpuf
That I am not my own, 1
but belong with body and soul,
both in life and in death, 2
to my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ. 3
He has fully paid for all my sins
with his precious blood, 4
and has set me free
from all the power of the devil. 5
He also preserves me in such a way 6
that without the will of my heavenly Father
not a hair can fall from my head; 7
indeed, all things must work together
for my salvation. 8
Therefore, by his Holy Spirit
he also assures me
of eternal life 9
and makes me heartily willing and ready
from now on to live for him.
- See more at: http://www.heidelberg-catechism.com/en/lords-days/1.html#sthash.ZdZqpezI.dpuf
That I am not my own, 1
but belong with body and soul,
both in life and in death, 2
to my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ. 3
He has fully paid for all my sins
with his precious blood, 4
and has set me free
from all the power of the devil. 5
He also preserves me in such a way 6
that without the will of my heavenly Father
not a hair can fall from my head; 7
indeed, all things must work together
for my salvation. 8
Therefore, by his Holy Spirit
he also assures me
of eternal life 9
and makes me heartily willing and ready
from now on to live for him.
- See more at: http://www.heidelberg-catechism.com/en/lords-days/1.html#sthash.ZdZqpezI.dpuf19 - forgiveness - you don't have to forget that someone's hurt you, but forgiving them is SO stinking freeing for your heart and soul - it's a gift for yourself! Live it out.
20 - love - Let all we do, be done in love. I Corinthians 16:14. Most of all, let love guide your life. Colossians 3:14. Even The Beatles sang, "Love is all you need" - AND it's God's greatest command Matthew 22:36-40. Truly. Who am I to argue with The Beatles and God?
We can give things up to honor God and we can live things out to honor Him.
The time has come to pay attention Brave Ones - your world is about to be rocked again with the reminder this season of just what true love looks like. Hang on to your hats.
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