First Sunday of Lent

 

So often in this world we are tempted by so many things, some good and some not so good. During Lent, we are called to give up something as a sacrifice for our faith, to remind us of the ultimate sacrifice made by Jesus on the Cross.

We all know that when we give up something, it seems that we are presented, almost on a daily basis, with visual reminders of that which we have give up, thus making our sacrifice that much harder. But, we learn to persevere in our sacrifice, knowing it will result in something much greater at the end.

Sacrifice and temptation lies at the heart of our faith in Jesus. How many times was Jesus asked to prove He was the Son of God? We see in Luke's Gospel that the devil asked this same question of Jesus. Prove it. Prove who You say You are. But, Jesus did not give in. I'm sure He must have been tempted, if for no other reason than to shut the devil up once and for all.

How many times have we been in the same situation? Is it easier to give in or easier to walk away? Which would give us the most satisfaction? Is it worth the sacrifice to just walk away? I believe that the harder the decision, the greater the reward. Doing the right thing is hard. Saying no in the midst of being tempted is the hardest thing to do. But, the satisfaction that comes from doing right is always a good thing.

As we walk through this time of Lent, remember that your sacrifice is pleasing to God. It makes you stronger. And the end result is that much sweeter.

Prayer:

Dear God,

The battle feels intense some days. We get tired and weak, weary and worn. It's hard to keep going in the face of defeat. But, help us to remember that You will never leave us, that You're our Refuge and our Strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble. We know that the enemy wouldn't be fighting so hard against us if we weren't making a difference for Your Kingdom. He wouldn't be trying so hard to stop us if he didn't think You had so much good still in store. Remind us that the battle belongs to You, and whatever we're up against can be taken down in one fell swoop by Your Mighty Hand.

Help us to trust You more, to never waste time spinning our wheels and wrestling or fighting our strength. Please forgive us, Lord, for the times we've failed to lift our hands to You, for the days we've forgotten to come to You first. Fill us with the Power of Your Holy Spirit this day. Fill us with Your joy, fill us with constant reminders that Your presence will go with us, and that You will give us rest.

Amen.