As April begins, we are still in the season of Lent, but at
least some of our thoughts will be turning towards Easter - celebration of
resurrection, preparations for school holidays, the reintroduction of
presently-denied treats. In the
meantime, are we using well the opportunities the season of Lent affords us: a
time to pause and reflect upon what the Lord wants from us, a time for
listening to His voice and seeking His will?
If you have been in one of my services over recent months,
you will have heard me quote from Philippians 1:6 ‘He who began a good work in
you, will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus’. The day we go to be with Jesus or the day of
his return, whichever comes first. None
of us, whether young or old, chronologically or spiritually, is beyond His
call. What is God calling us to? Maybe it is to come to faith in Him. Maybe He is calling you to a new area of
service, to take up new responsibilities, to attempt new things. Maybe the Lord is challenging us to stop,
reflect on where we are and what we are doing.
God does not call us to rush in, but He does call us to
listen and discern, to know the ‘kairos’ moment, the time which is right for
and He expects us to respond.
The ministry of the Lord Jesus is the prime example of the
Kairos moment. Setting aside the glory
of heaven, being found in appearance as a human being and dying a criminal’s
death (Philippians 2:6-8), Jesus chose self-emptying, self-humbling,
deliberately setting Himself on the road of self-denial, even unto death. Not death by dying peacefully in old age, not
by drowning during a storm on the Sea of Galilee, but death on a Roman cross
for the sin of the world. Why did Jesus
do this? He looked at God the Father and
He looked down through history
at you and me and He loved us and for obedience’s sake, He held nothing back!
As we move through April, we come to the significant events
of Holy Week, which start with Jesus’ ride into Jerusalem and end with His
death and a cold tomb, with a large stone rolled across it. And the story could end there. We could end with our God loving us so much
that He died. We could live as ‘Good
Friday’ people. God has loved us in
Jesus, He promised so much and we hope for so much, but He died. But that was Friday, Sunday was coming!
Easter Day! Christ is
risen! It is more than chocolate, school
holidays, daffodils, it is the celebration of all celebrations! The living God makes the difference for our
lives and for the world. We are called
to proclaim Jesus Christ, to live a life worthy of Him and to make good
choices.
Every blessing
Rev Andrew
PS Listening to and responding to God is not just for Lent
but for life.
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