Abiding in Easterనమూనా

ABIDING IN EASTER - LENT DEVOTIONAL by BRYAN CRAIG

DAY 15

“Is such the fast that I choose, a day for a person to humble himself? Is it to bow down his head like a reed, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Will you call this a fast, and a day acceptable to the Lord? Is not this the fast that I choose:to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?”

Isaiah 58:5-7 ESV

For those of you who have chosen to fast from something during Lent, I pray your sacrifice has been helpful in reminding you of Jesus’ sacrifice for you. But I hope it has not become legalistic or a burden which is stealing your joy. I hope you are not being boastful in your great sacrifice. This passage in Isaiah speaks to the heart of Jesus. He was all about abiding with the Father and sacrificing His comfort or His body to worship God, but He also was about loving and serving others. Faith without works is dead. (James 2:17) So, let this sacred journey toward Easter be not just for our own benefit but let it flow to others around us.

APPLICATION:

Examine your heart to see if Lent has been a burden more than a joy. Is it driving you closer to Jesus or toward self-pity? If so, confess this in your journal and prayer. Also, ask the Lord how you might make a sacrifice on behalf of someone else.