As we continue our Lenten journey drawing closer to God and hearing His will for our lives and those around us – we are opening ourselves through spending time in Scripture, in prayer, fasting and obedience to walk in alignment with God. We live our lives in the freedom that Jesus Christ offers, through our obedience to His Word, our prayer life and in the way we see and treat others. For each one of us this may be different, but we can all follow our one true example …
Everything we know about Jesus indicates that he was concerned with only one thing: to do the will of his Father. Nothing in the Gospels is as impressive as Jesus’ single-minded obedience to his Father. From his first recorded words in the Temple, “Did you not know that I must be busy with my Father’s affairs?” (Luke 2:49), to his last words on the cross, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit” (Luke 23:46), Jesus’ only concern was to do the will of his Father. He says, “The Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees the Father doing” (John 5:19) …
Jesus is the obedient one. The center of his life is this obedient relationship with the Father. This may be hard for us to understand because the word obedience has so many negative connotations in our society. It makes us think of authority figures who impose their wills against our desires. It makes us remember unhappy childhood events or hard tasks performed under threats of punishment. But none of this applies to Jesus’ obedience. His obedience means a total, fearless listening to his loving Father. Between the Father and the Son there is only love.
DAILY MEDITATION | MARCH 2, 2023 Henry Nouwen Society.
Read these words from Scripture and be encouraged,
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!
“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” – Matthew 7:7-12
As we journey through this season of Lent, this passage can serve as a reminder of the importance of prayer and spiritual discipline. Lent is traditionally a time of fasting, prayer, and repentance, and this scripture encourages us to ask, seek, and knock in our relationship with God. We can take intentional steps to deepen our relationship with God through prayer and meditation on His Word. We can ask God to reveal areas of our lives that need repentance and seek His guidance in making changes. We can also knock persistently, trusting that God hears our prayers and is working in our lives, even when we do not see immediate results.
Additionally, the Golden Rule reminds us of the importance of treating others with kindness and respect, even in the midst of our own personal struggles. As we fast and pray, let us also seek to serve others and do to them as we would have them do to us.
Let us take hold of the hand of Jesus as He invites us to deepen our relationship with God and to grow in our understanding and experience of His love and grace that we may show love and compassion to others, just as Christ has shown us –
And as we approach Easter, let us remember the ultimate gift that God has given us through His Son, Jesus Christ. Through His death and resurrection, we have been given the gift of salvation, and we can have confidence that God will give us all good things as we seek Him.
May we be persistent in our prayers, to never give up seeking God’s will for our lives as we trust in His goodness and love, as He gives us the strength and courage to face the challenges and obstacles that come our way.
Today and always, may the light of God surround you, the love of God enfold you, the power of God protect you, the presence of God watch over you as the mind of God guides you, the strength of God renews you and the joy of God uplifts you.
Much love
Michelle