Church Family Update - February 3, 2021

A Devotional Thought:

“But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary.” Luke 10:41-42

The season of Lent is almost upon us. We’re Reformed. That means we don’t feel any obligation to observe Lent since it isn’t mentioned in the Bible. It also means that every single day of the year we celebrate the fact that we’re saved by grace and not by works and nothing we do could ever add or subtract from the free gift of salvation that is ours in Christ. And yet…

I still love the season of Lent. The Lord created the earth with natural seasons and rhythms and any chance to spend an extended time focusing on the gospel of Jesus Christ is a good thing. 

So in the Reformed spirit of Soli Deo Gratia, may I make a Lenten suggestion? Nothing you give up for Lent is going to earn you any favor with God. So instead of giving up sugar or chocolate or caffeine or anything else that you eat, why not give up being anxious and troubled for lent? 

Those were the two words Jesus used to describe Martha. He said she was anxious and troubled about many things. I can identify with that. I’ve got a list of many things I’m anxious and troubled about. So how can I give that up? Well, Jesus said that only one thing is necessary. But what is that one thing? Maybe David can help us out.

In Psalm 27:4 we find David making this request: “One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.”

That’s the one thing that Martha wasn’t doing and the one thing that Mary was doing. She was gazing upon the beauty of the Lord. When you and I learn to dwell in the house of the Lord and gaze upon His beauty every day then we’ll lose sight of the things that make us anxious and troubled. 

If you want to spend the days of Lent not eating chocolate or meat or some other good gift from God, I guess that’s your business. But as for me, I’m giving up being anxious and troubled. And I’m inviting you to join me. 

Have a blessed day.

Pastor Jason