Lent Devotional 2020

Singing the Redemption Song – Psalm 130

Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord;

    Lord, hear my voice.
Let your ears be attentive
    to my cry for mercy.

If you, Lord, kept a record of sins,
    Lord, who could stand?

But with you there is forgiveness,
    so that we can, with reverence, serve you.

I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits,
    and in his word I put my hope.

I wait for the Lord
    more than watchmen wait for the morning,
    more than watchmen wait for the morning.

Israel, put your hope in the Lord,
    for with the Lord is unfailing love
    and with him is full redemption.

He himself will redeem Israel
    from all their sins.

Celebrating Redemption

Each Saturday we celebrate a redemption story of someone in our Faith Family. Today we celebrate God’s redemption in the life of Marsha Hammond. You can watch the story here.  

Reflection

• Where specifically do you see God at work in Marsha’s story?
• How do you see God at work in your story today?
• Where are you currently celebrating redemption?

Resting in His Redemption

Marsha’s story is not her story alone. Marsha’s story is one of community. Marsha talks about her deep connection to her DMD – small group at Sanctuary. More than that, Marsha talks about a deep relationship with Jesus Himself and the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Allow the words of Scripture that Marsha references to wash you anew today.

“Therefore, let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah. When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, ‘Brothers, what shall we do?’

“Peter replied, ‘Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.’

“With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, ‘Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.’ Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.” –  Acts 2.36-41

Reclaiming the Truth

“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.” – Luke 15.21-24

Redeeming the Time

Unworthy. The biggest lie of the enemy. He somehow convinces us that what we have done, or what we have not done, makes us unworthy in the sight of God. 

Praise be to God that our worth in His sight will NEVER be tied to what we do or don’t do.  It is only tied to the redemptive work of the cross through Jesus Christ. His love is perfect, and it is unconditional…meaning no conditions. No strings attached. Receive it – it’s yours! Nothing else required.

The biggest challenge we face is moving from the feeling of unworthiness to the truth of our worthiness. Learning to begin to live in the reality that the Father is already turned towards us, and is ready and waiting to run to us is hard.  He has clothed us in Righteousness, and He is ready to celebrate us. Why not enjoy the benefits of your Royal status and feast on His Goodness! The table is set. Your seat awaits.

Reflection

• When are you most likely to feel unworthy?
• How do you move from the feeling of being unworthy to the truth that you are worthy?
• Who do you have in your life that reminds you of your great worth and helps you to stay there?

Resting in His Redemption 

Rest and receive His truth in these verses of life.

“I put on righteousness as my clothing; justice was my robe and my turban.” – Job 29.14

“The angel said to those who were standing before him, ‘Take off his filthy clothes.’ Then he said to Joshua, ‘See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put fine garments on you.’” – Zechariah 3.4

“He put on righteousness as his breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on his head; he put on the garments of vengeance and wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak.” – Isaiah 59.17

“I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.” – Isaiah 61.10

Reclaiming the Truth

“Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’” – Luke 15.25-30

Redeeming the Time

At first read of the entire story, it seems like the younger son, the prodigal, is the worst offender.  But if you read the words of Jesus, the people He rebukes the most are the self-righteous. He goes after the lost and gives grace and compassion to sheep who have lost their way. Like the older son, those who see themselves as more deserving because they feel they have earned their righteousness and favor, He heeds them great warning! 

The sin of self-righteousness is the greatest killer of relationships, especially in marriages and in the church. It takes the focus off of a Good and Beautiful God and puts it on a person. It replaces love, grace and compassion, with earning, striving and performing. It is exactly the opposite of the Gospel. The Gospel is Good News that God has done for us what we cannot do for ourselves. He redeems us. He renews us. He restores us. What do we do? We receive what He has done for us.

The more we rest in and receive God’s love, grace, forgiveness, compassion, mercy, justice, blessing, etc., the more we are able to extend it to others. When we forget that, we are likely to miss the Gospel altogether. 

Reflection

• Where have you seen self-righteousness hurt you or your relationships?
• What is it that makes us feel the need to earn and prove our righteousness? 
• How might God be inviting you to be the Gospel in a current relationship or circumstance?

Resting in His Redemption 

Rest and receive His truth in this verse of life.

 ^“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.” – 1 John 4.7-12

Reclaiming the Truth

“I will set out and go back to my father and say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up and went to his father.” – Luke 15.18-20

Redeeming the Time

There is no better way to redeem the time than to humble yourself before God and others. It is one of the hardest things to do. For some of us, humbling ourselves before God may be easier than humbling ourselves before others. For some, humbling ourselves before others is a lot easier than doing so before God. Humbling ourselves before both is almost impossible.

There is something deep within us that fights the act of owning our junk. We would much rather defend, deflect, flee, sweep under the rug, pretend it never happened, avoid and even fight for our sin, than own it and humble ourselves. We hold onto the guilt, the shame, the condemnation of our actions, or even worse, put it on others. Especially those closest to us.

When we come before others in humility, willing to own our stuff, something beautiful happens… Freedom and healing! Freedom for ourselves and freedom for the person that was in the direct line of fire of our sin. When we come before God in humility, we own our sin.

Reflection

• What might God be inviting you to own that you have held onto?
• Is there someone you need to go to in humility and own? 
• How does the Father turn owning our sin into freedom and healing?

Resting in His Redemption 

Take a few minutes and do a search on humility in the Bible. Notice how life-giving humility is in God’s redemptive story! Rest and receive His truth in these verses of life. Here are just a few examples:

2 Chronicles 7.14

Proverbs 3.34

Proverbs 11.12

Proverbs 22.4

Micah 6.8

Luke 14.11

Ephesians 4.2

James 4.6

James 4.10