Embracing Transformation and Grace During Lent

Devotional

Day 1: Intentional Spiritual Journey

Lent is a time to be intentional about our spiritual journey, inviting us to reflect on how we can deepen our relationship with God and others. It is a season to acknowledge our hopes and challenges, entering it with honesty and grace. This period encourages us to examine the space between our intentions and actions, recognizing our humanity and our need for God's grace. By embracing this honesty, we allow ourselves to be wrapped in God's mercy and love, which meets us even in our imperfections. [10:04]

"Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!" (2 Corinthians 13:5, ESV)

Reflection: What specific intention can you set today to deepen your relationship with God and others during this Lenten season?

Day 2: Commitment to Discipleship

The call to discipleship is a call to real commitment, requiring us to embody hope, compassion, and peace, even in the face of challenges. This call is not just for the disciples of the past but for us today. We are invited to ask ourselves if we are ready to be transformed and if our actions reflect our best intentions. This commitment involves a willingness to follow Jesus' example, even when it leads to difficult paths, and to embody the values of the Gospel in our daily lives. [17:07]

"And he said to all, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.'" (Luke 9:23, ESV)

Reflection: What is one specific way you can embody hope, compassion, or peace in a challenging situation this week?

Day 3: Embracing Self-Examination

Lent is a season of self-examination, where we are encouraged to let go of distractions and embrace practices that open us to transformation. Slowing down and meditating can help us clear out the clutter in our minds, making space for God's presence. This process involves letting go of what holds us back and embracing practices that foster spiritual growth. By doing so, we create room for God's transformative work in our lives, allowing us to grow closer to Him. [22:24]

"Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!" (Psalm 139:23-24, ESV)

Reflection: What is one distraction you can let go of today to make more space for God's presence in your life?

Day 4: Courage Through Grace

Embracing God's grace gives us the courage to face challenges and grow in faith. We are reminded of our mortality and the constant need for transformation, letting go of excuses and focusing on developing our spiritual lives for the love of God. This courage is rooted in the assurance of God's grace, which empowers us to confront our fears and embrace the journey of faith with confidence. [28:02]

"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me." (2 Corinthians 12:9, ESV)

Reflection: What is one challenge you are facing where you need to rely on God's grace for courage today?

Day 5: Opening to Feelings and Love

Opening ourselves to our feelings and God's love can be challenging, but it is essential for transformation. We are called to move through Lent with intention, feeling our feelings, and opening our hearts and minds to God's word. This openness allows us to experience God's love more fully and to be transformed by it, leading to a deeper and more authentic relationship with Him. [36:33]

"And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh." (Ezekiel 36:26, ESV)

Reflection: What is one feeling you have been avoiding that you can bring to God in prayer today, asking Him to open your heart to His love?

Sermon Summary

As we embark on our Lenten journey, we are invited to embrace a season of intentionality, reflection, and transformation. Lent is a time to ask ourselves how we can deepen our relationship with God and our neighbors, and how we can strengthen our faith. This journey is not about entering the season feeling behind, but rather entering it with honesty, acknowledging both our hopes and challenges, and wrapping ourselves in God's grace. Lent calls us to reflect on the space between our intentions and actions, and to recognize our humanity and need for grace. Even in our imperfections, God meets us with mercy and love.

The Gospel of Luke guides us this Ash Wednesday, as we join Jesus on his journey to Jerusalem. Jesus calls for real commitment from his disciples, urging them to embody hope, compassion, and peace, even in the face of rejection and persecution. This call to discipleship is not just for those in the past, but for us today. We are challenged to ask ourselves if we are ready to be transformed and if our actions will reflect our best intentions.

Lent is a season of self-examination, where we are encouraged to let go of what holds us back and embrace practices that open us to transformation. It is a time to slow down, meditate, and clear out the clutter in our minds, allowing space for God's presence. As we journey through Lent, we are reminded of our mortality and God's grace, which gives us the courage to face challenges and grow in faith. We are called to let go of excuses and distractions, and to focus on developing our spiritual lives for the love of God, not just for our roles or responsibilities.

Key Takeaways

1. Lent invites us to be intentional about our spiritual journey, asking us to reflect on how we can deepen our relationship with God and others. It is a time to acknowledge our hopes and challenges, entering the season with honesty and grace. [10:04]
2. The call to discipleship is a call to real commitment, requiring us to embody hope, compassion, and peace, even in the face of challenges. We are invited to ask ourselves if we are ready to be transformed and if our actions reflect our intentions. [17:07]
3. Lent is a season of self-examination, where we are encouraged to let go of distractions and embrace practices that open us to transformation. Slowing down and meditating can help us clear out the clutter and make space for God's presence. [22:24]
4. Embracing God's grace gives us the courage to face challenges and grow in faith. We are reminded of our mortality and the constant need for transformation, letting go of excuses and focusing on developing our spiritual lives for the love of God. [28:02]
5. Opening ourselves to our feelings and God's love can be challenging, but it is essential for transformation. We are called to move through Lent with intention, feeling our feelings, and opening our hearts and minds to God's word. [36:33]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[07:09] - Introduction to Lent
[10:04] - Intentionality in Lent
[11:26] - Reflection and Grace
[16:52] - Gospel of Luke: Commitment
[20:26] - Challenges of Following Jesus
[22:24] - Self-Examination in Lent
[26:49] - Embracing Meditation
[28:02] - Courage and Grace
[30:14] - Spiritual Life Development
[32:33] - Constant Transformation
[33:45] - Facing Sorrow and Numbness
[36:33] - Opening to Feelings and Love
[40:03] - Prayer and Reflection
[49:04] - The Lord's Prayer
[53:43] - Receiving Ashes
[59:32] - Closing Song and Blessing

Sermon Clips

Lent is a season that invites us to be intentional. Lent asks us, how will you go deeper these next six weeks? How will you grow closer to God and your neighbor? What will you do to strengthen your faith? Much like Christ, Lent invites us to go deeper. [00:10:04]

As we enter this season of Lent, we are invited to reflect on the space between intention and action, between who we long to be and the steps we take to live it out. Ash Wednesday reminds us of our fragility, our humanity, and our deep need for grace. [00:11:31]

Jesus's response is harsh but urgent. He needs real commitment. He needs disciples who are willing to be rejected and persecuted and who will embody hope, compassion, and peace along the way. It becomes apparent that these potential disciples aren't quite ready for the task at hand. [00:17:07]

Lent is a season of self-examination, but that's not always easy. What's one way you struggled to practice what you preach when it comes to faith and action? I'm interested in a lot of things. I'm very interested in a lot of things. I want to learn about a lot of different things. [00:22:24]

Sometimes what we need most is to take something on. So what's one practice or commitment you want to embrace this season? There's a song that I really like. Jim and I went to the Thomas Point Beach Bluegrass Festival a few years back, and it was Baya Fleck and Abigail Wasburn. [00:26:49]

Ash Wednesday reminds us of our mortality, and it also reminds us of God's grace. Thanks be to God. How does that reality shape the way that you approach the season? Well, first of all, I'm going to share some exciting news, which is that today I celebrate 40 years sober. [00:28:02]

Developing my spiritual life is like there is the amount of, as a pastor particularly, that I'm constantly developing my spiritual life for everyone else to be ready for Sunday services, to be ready for conversations, to be ready for what everyone else needs. [00:30:14]

Lent is about transformation, right? We're going to be the idea is that we move through these 40 days of Lent, and we're intentional about what we're doing during this time, and we are transformed people as Christians, right? That our goal is to and continually transform. [00:32:33]

I know that I need to feel it, but I don't like crying because I'm a tough New England woman. We do not cry. I follow this Yogi on Instagram, and when he offers up a meditation to open ourselves, I flip to the next screen because I don't want to open myself. [00:33:45]

Open ourselves up to our feelings is pretty hard work sometimes. Oh, it's exhausting. It can be. Yeah, I'm so tired. Yeah, but that's because I'm holding them in, right? But yes, it is. And that's the thing about Jesus too, you know, the idea that somebody loves you. [00:36:33]

Let's move on through Lent with intention, with intention, feeling our feelings, taking the time to slow down, and opening up our hearts and minds to the word and our Bible and opening our Bible. Yeah, and we're going to go Rogue for one second because we didn't talk about it. [00:40:03]

We believe in Jesus Christ, who said to ordinary people, follow me, and with his love, change the world. We believe in the Holy Spirit, who tethers us to all of creation, nudging us towards deeper and more intentional faith, and we believe in the Creator who brings the sun over the horizon. [00:49:04]

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