Journeying to Easter - Part 1Намуна

Idols and crosses

When Jesus asks, ‘Who do the crowds say I am?’ (Luke 9:18b), He’s not chasing His disciples’ affirmation. He’s inviting them and us to declare that He is the Messiah. We know they would not appreciate the full meaning of that word until after His death and resurrection. In 2025, Lent offers us an appointment to consider what the Messiah means to us. Do we see Jesus as our only avenue to heaven and an eternity spent in God’s presence, or merely a revered historical figure who lived an extraordinary life? Do we ache to be in His presence with a passion that defines every aspect of our lives?

Our response to this question shapes how we approach Lent. Declaring Jesus as the Messiah means committing ourselves to His mission and jettisoning our own natural desires to make space for His grace and love to alter our lives. Taking up our cross is not a one-time deal. It’s a daily choice to give up the idols the devil has convinced make us successful or valuable. Only when we surrender our human need for self-sufficiency can we become dependent on God’s provision. I confess there have been times when my daily commitment to prioritising God over my own natural attraction to self-sufficiency has come under siege. Lent is my appointment with heaven to reset my prayer life, to fast, and to look for compassion opportunities around me.

If it has been a while, surrender your idols today and take up your cross.

Written by DWAYNE JEFFRIES