2017 Belmont University Lenten Devotional Guideنمونہ

We began this Lenten journey with a reading from the book of Joel about the coming of the day of the Lord, and an affirmation that when God shows up, everything will be different. As we have given ourselves to the practices of this season—confession, introspection and reflection—God has shown up. We have probably found ourselves reading through these passages of scripture and words of devotion faced with hard things—things about ourselves, and things about the world around us. And we have probably asked some hard questions: “How can I be changed and redeemed?” and “How can the world be changed and redeemed?” These questions are hard ones, and those things seem like a daunting task, an impossible one really. But the good news of Easter is that no matter how daunting the task of redemption and restoration, for us personally or for the world around us, it is not impossible for God. You see, in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, we see the impossible become possible. Christ faced hardship and a horrible, brutal death. He descended into the depths of hell. And then he was resurrected. When Christ experienced all of those things, they were redeemed. Through his death and resurrection, Christ conquered those things that seemed unconquerable— disease, hell, and death. Through his resurrection he made resurrection possible, not just in his life, but in our lives, too. Through Christ we have experienced the impossible—the restoration and redemption of all things. It is so easy to be overwhelmed with what we should be, with what the world around us should be. It is easy to give up because there is nothing that we personally can do about it, or because we have failed when we have tried. But as Christians, we need not give up or be discouraged, or be convinced that it is impossible. Because through his life, death and resurrection Christ made the impossible possible—and as his disciples we have the joy of living in the light and the hope that His resurrection will one day be our resurrection. Gracious God, we give you thanks for your work in us during this Lenten season. Let us not see Easter Sunday as the end of a journey, but simply as the beginning. Continue your redemptive and restorative work in us that we may be your body for the world. In the name of our resurrected Lord, Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.