Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Season of Lent

I'm starting this blog not really knowing what I am going to say, but I just feel the need to write. With the start of lent today, I really have been contemplating what things in my life I need to resist and what I need to bring to the cross. My goal in life is always to love people and lately I've seen things in me that show that I'm not truly loving some people or I'm not seeing them through God's eyes. I think this is what I'm bringing to the cross for lent. Before I say something or make a conclusion about someone, I want to take a step back and be humbled by Christ's view of the person. I want to be submerged in Christ during this time. I never paid much attention to lent before this year, and I see how important it is. I see it as a time to evaluate my walk in becoming more like Christ.
I think I've been a little hesitant in taking lent seriously because I'm afraid of the legalistic mindset, but I'm seeing that being a follower of Christ does take discipline. The thought that I have free will is clouding my mind. I feel that I'm trying to make exceptions for things by saying, "Oh, but I have free will". Yeah, that's true. But how many times can we say that? I thank Christ for dying on the cross and giving us free will, but making an effort to change our worldly patterns is also thanking Him for giving us free will. I don't want to convict myself, but I do want to a life for Christ and I want Him to be the model for my life.
Well, I guess that's that. I didn't know I had all that on my mind. I pray for whoever reads this that you'll go to the cross during this season of lent. It truly is a beautiful time to think of what Christ did for us.
Love, Emily

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4 comments:

  1. Pam ScheihingFebruary 18, 2010 at 5:39 AM

    good thoughts. i just read a passage that blew my mind to a whole new understanding of the love of Christ... John 13. If you read the last supper with the disciples it's incredibly ridiculous how much Christ loves his imperfect disciples... but even more than that he leaves them with a "new commandment"... it says "A new commandment I leave to you, Love one another."

    When I read that I was like, whoa, time out. That isn't new AT ALL. That is fascinating. Then you read on and it says "...Love as I have loved you, so you must love one another." So... not just love your neighbor as yourself, or love your enemies... He means when he is nailed on the cross, it is time to love one another to a new powerful extent. Dang dang dang. What does that even entail? I think that's my lenten desire.

    And if you read on even more it says "if you do this, this is how people will know you are my disciples." So I have been challenged by this. I feel it was appropriate to share with you based on what you just wrote. That is where my heart is on the subject of loving people with God's eyes. It cuts to the deep. Not sure what it fully entails, but that's the beauty of seek and you shall find, right?

    Love you sister!

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  2. UnknownFebruary 18, 2010 at 11:51 AM

    wow. That is awesome. I never noticed that. So we have to die for other people? I've been really thinking about what the extent of loving other people means and what it looks like. John 13 really shows that we need to die for people. ahhh, its so crazy and hard!
    thank you for showing me that. I love you!

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  3. Pam ScheihingFebruary 18, 2010 at 9:13 PM

    i don't think we have to die for other people... but i think we are called to humbly put everyone before ourselves... if that's what you mean by die. the only person we are supposed to die to ourselves for is Christ so he can dwell in us. So if you are looking at it that way... yeah i guess we need to die so Christ can dwell in us so we can love others the way that he calls/commands us to love.

    But I am not about to be anyone's savior... that's not my job. So I don't see myself actually dying any time soon unless I really need to do that. I die to myself so i can point people in the right direction. you get what i am puttin down?

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  4. UnknownFebruary 26, 2010 at 2:12 PM

    Wish I thought like that when I was 19.....took me 40 years.....what great things God's going to use you for!

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