Lenten Reflection - April 7th

Written by: Jim Detzel

Reading: John 3:14-17

14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” 16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

“For God so loved the world…..” is one of the most known and recognized verses in the entire Bible. But KNOWING a verse and TAKING TO HEART the message are different activities. What do you think of this statement of God’s love? What does it bring to mind? I think of Genesis Chapter 22, in which God asked Abraham to sacrifice his only son, Isaac. How would you and I react to this extreme request? I have two sons and I can honestly say I would have had real trouble with such a request. How would one garner the strength to carry it out?

I think, in God’s plan, this was a precursor of what was to be asked of His Son – to give up his life in atonement for our sins and allow us to enjoy everlasting life. How have we responded to that enormous gift? Have we done everything in our power to respond to God’s request to love one another, as He has loved us? We have been spared a request to sacrifice our children (Thank God!) but we have been asked to respond. What are our intentions?

During this time of Lent, let us look inward and review our daily lives and see where we need to repent for our transgressions and remedy those things that keep us from being more Christ-like in our living.

Dear God, please help us to accept Jesus as our Savior and in doing so, mimic him in our everyday lives.