As we move through Lent closer to Easter I wonder if you’ve been following the path of giving something up as a sign of your commitment to the Lord? Or maybe spending more time in prayer and worship? With the crises in the Middle East there is great need at this time of prayer across the globe. I’ve certainly been feeling the call myself to spend time in God’s word and to commit to Him more deeply.
Today I felt the Lord whisper in my heart that Lent is more to do with coming close to Him and letting Him be my loving Father and true friend. And in my response, choosing to live my everyday life as His beloved daughter and closest friend.
Three times today, without me deliberately searching, I’ve found myself reading the passage described in the New Testament as the greatest commandment: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength,” and “Love your neighbour as yourself.” Mark 12:30
The phrase, “With all your strength,” jumped out at me, with the emphasis on the “your”. I’ve been feeling weak in my Christian life, often putting other things before spending time with the Lord and then feeling guilty. Physically too, despite having a very important deadline to meet with my new book, I’ve struggled at times to really give myself to the work, feeling tired all the time. I kept thinking: “Everyone else is busy with their families and doing wonderful things for God and I am just sitting here!”
But today, as I read that phrase “with all your strength,”I heard my Heavenly Father saying to me: “Tracy, my beloved daughter, I’m not looking for someone else’s strength in you or for you to be fulfilling someone else’s call. It’s you that I love and want to draw close to me. I know you feel weak in many ways; all I am looking for is that even in your weakness you will come to me and let me come to you. When you lift up your heart to me in those moments of physical tiredness I love you, honour you and come running to you to give you strength and help. Never compare yourself to others, beloved one, that wastes too much energy! Just let me be with you, in the centre of your strength or your weakness and I will draw you close and touch you with my love.”
Wow! That word certainly filled my heart with joy and wonder at how much He loves us. He really does not want us to live in negative comparison with others and the resulting condemnation. Let’s make this time of Lent a time of realising afresh His love and commitment to us, that we truly are His beloved, and in our response choosing to give ourselves to Him just as we are, in weakness or in strength.
Loving Father, thankyou that this season of Lent is all about coming close to you and discovering afresh how much you love me. Please help me to make that time for you, to drink in your love and listen for your voice. Thank you that I only need to take one step towards you and you come running towards me. Amen.
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