Lent, a season for serious spiritual reflection,is just around the corner. As you prepare yourself for this important time in the life of our Christian faith, consider picking up a Lenten devotional to assist you with your spiritual practices. Here are a couple of examples of Lenten reflections of my own.

Reflection #1:
"Psalm 34:2 – “My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad.”

It is easy for us to believe, and even to say, “I did it.” After all, we possess free will. We make choices. We are the ones who receive accolades, and earn diplomas, and secure promotions. To most of us, it seems that we are masters of our own destiny, committed to the notion that if we simply work hard and use our talents to the best of our abilities, that we will succeed in life. But, is that the way of Christian discipleship?

In Ephesians 2:8-9, it is written, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— not the result of works, so that no one may boast.” If we are to enter into honest dialogue with the Scriptures, and take seriously Christ’s saving work on the cross, then it is no longer sufficient to say that either I or we did it. Rather, we are called to recognize our own indebtedness, through which we come to boast in that which is greater than ourselves.

Reflection #2:

Romans 4:4-5 - “Now to one who works, wages are not reckoned as a gift but as something due. But to one who without works trusts him who justifies the ungodly, such faith is reckoned as righteousness.”

Romans is the centerpiece of much of our Protestant theology. Most importantly, Martin Luther turned to this book when arguing that we are “saved by grace through faith,” and not as a result of our own merits. Passages like these, coupled with our Protestant tradition, remind us that we are not called to pursue good works in order to secure a place in heaven. Neither should we go in search of good works merely to appease God. Rather, good works are the result of our faith, and faith is at the center of our righteousness.

Let us pray: Dear God, we know that you are not a gatekeeper who counts every good deed throughout our lives before passing judgment upon us. We know that the life of faith is neither a competition nor cause for great anxiety and second-guessing. Instead, we know that you came to love us, and that you hope to inspire us to love others in return. So help us to be your hands and feet in this broken world, not because we feel burdened and obligated, but because we feel free to worship you and to enjoy you forever. Amen.

Best wishes and God's blessings to you.
Jon