Disponible en Español aqui
March 8
“But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it — not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it — they will be blessed in what they do.” – James 1:25-27, NIV
During Lent, most of us think about giving up television, sweets and so forth; but we never really give any thought to what we get out of Lent. Many will celebrate weight loss being accomplished after six weeks of fasting, but that shouldn’t be all we get out of this time before Resurrection Sunday.
Maybe we are supposed to get a sense of direction during this time. Perhaps we are invited to gain a better understanding of what it means to walk as a disciple of Christ, sharing our lives as a reflection of God’s grace among the world.
The Lenten season invites us to take a journey with Christ to experience the transforming power of love through searching and sacrificing.This season invites us to search our hearts to realize and resolve the places of anger, fear, disgust, sadness, pride and unforgiveness. These traits divide our loyalties, blind our ability to see others through the lens of empathy and numb our existence into apathetic cynicism.
This season also invites us to sacrifice in order to see the truth of God’s love and respond. In the Epistle of James, we find an invitation to sit with God’s perfect law, which is love; to see God’s love as the glue that will bring us and hold us together. God’s love is good, but it must be matched and accompanied by intentional service that begins to mend the brokenness within us personally, in order to experience healing collectively.
As you search and sacrifice this Lenten season, may you discover the love of God in your own lives—a love big enough to redeem us from the fragmented shards of our hearts; a love that is strong enough to uplift, build and restore relationships, and rich enough to continue in it with justice for us all.
PRAYER: Lead me; guide me along the way of love. Lord, lead me in a perfected love that is committed to justice for all. Amen.
Charlton L. Johnson I
Together for Hope, Regional Vice President for Delta
For the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship
Pearl, Mississippi
JUSTICE NOTE:
TRANSFORMING RURAL AMERICA: Together for Hope is a rural development coalition engaging the 301 counties of persistent rural poverty in America.Within these communities,Together for Hope holistically fights poverty focusing on four priorities of hope: Education, Health & Nutrition, Housing & Environment, and Social Enterprise. Learn more at https://tfhope.org.
Love, Justice & Relationships
The 2024 Emmanuel McCall Lenten Devotional series is prepared by Cooperative Baptist Fellowship family and friends for the season of Lent. The McCall Lenten series features wonderful reflections on God’s Word, thought-provoking questions, prayers, art, music, noteworthy information and resources for action. Available in English and Spanish, this Lenten resource is intended for use by individuals, small groups and congregations.
Join us as we journey together through Lent reflecting on these devotions and their calls to pursue justice for all of God’s people.
This passage is originally found in the 2024 Emmanuel McCall Lenten Devotional series, prepared by Cooperative Baptist Fellowship family and friends. It is a project of love that is designed to be read during the season of Lent, which begins February 14, 2024. Register to receive the daily devotional here.