Lenten Devotional: March 31, 2023

by Susan Johnson-Clayton

What does Easter mean to me? It is God’s divine solution to our persistent problem of sin. And for that I am ETERNALLY grateful.

The Bible tells us in John 1 that Jesus was with God in the beginning. So why in the world would He choose to come to this earth in human flesh, with all the pain, physical limitations, loss, sadness, and grief that humans suffer? And then die a disgraceful, torturous death on a Roman cross?

We all sin. We are born with a sinful nature. Paul tells us in Romans 7:19. “For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do – this I keep on doing.” In the Old Testament, King David sinned, notably in adultery with Bathsheba. In Psalm 51 he cries out to God for restoration. We know we cannot win the war against sin on our own power. We deserve punishment and death, but God loves us—we are His children.

So God solves our problem for us. Again Paul speaks to us in Romans, this time Romans 5:6-8: “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Jesus meets us where we are. We don’t have to be perfect to receive him. Remember the woman at the well in John 4? He wants us to receive him just where we are.

Reflection:

How can I transform the tremendous gratitude I have for God’s gift of Jesus into action today, blessing others and glorifying Him?