2017 Belmont University Lenten Devotional Guideنمونہ

We are reminded in Psalm 51 that, no matter how we sin against God, our Lord is merciful and gracious, having already taken care of our sin by sending His Holy Son Jesus. Verse 10 is so often recited that we tend to gloss over its meaning. It reads, “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” This is a humbling cry meant to turn our sin into an opportunity. We may learn from it, and grow closer to God as a result. The beautiful thing here is that God is using our sin to our advantage, allowing a deeper knowledge and understanding of who God is through reconciliation. Isaiah 58:1–12 paints a picture of a sinful people who are missing the purpose of their sacrifice. They are fasting and assume that the act is what pleases God, rather than their motivations for performing the act. Verse 4b reads, “You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high.” We should be motivated to take time out of our days to read the Word of God that we may know Him better and be careful that we are using every opportunity given to glorify Him because we love Him with a childlike faith! Both of these passages have a common theme: realizing that nothing we do can compare to what Jesus did on the cross for us. Even though we all fail in the sight of our Father, He will never reject us for it, and He will never deny us His grace and mercy that we could never earn or deserve. His love is a free gift, with no strings attached. Let’s rejoice in this fact and do our best to glorify our wonderful Savior every chance we get! FRANCES PRAET Senior Music Business Major