Lent Day 5: Faith

Today started off in Romans Ch. 5:1-5, "Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through Him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, know that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us."

Now Faith here is the Greek word: pistis~the Gospel truth. This was exactly what I needed to hear this morning. On Friday I got the results back for a test I took to get my internship. I did not pass the test. How could I fail God like that? Or really did I feel like God failed me? No, I felt as though I failed Him. He placed me on this journey and I failed. I didn't make it to the next step. So now I hesitate. I'm questioning. What happens next? Is my dream, my passion over? Is this a suffering? Am I past that and this is endurance? Or is this building character? Do I have the hope of what is to come? I believe it is all of the above. There may be suffering ahead as I continue down the path God has placed me on, I just have to keep enduring on this journey until God tells me to go elsewhere. This is changing my character and I do have hope for what's ahead.

I was encouraged by the simple word pistis: Gospel truth. Our lives are centered around the Gospel. Encompassed in every aspect by the Gospel. This is where our faith comes from. Faith is the center of all that I am in Christ. Faith, simple and yet so vital. Going back into Ch. 4: 20-21, "No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what He had promised." Giving glory to God through our circumstances causes our faith to increase. The book One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp discusses the concept that a life full of God stems from eucharisteo: to give thanks. We glorify God by giving Him thanks. No matter what direction God takes us, we give thanks. Where God leads you, He will make it happen. He doesn't make promises lightly. He will bring it to pass in His time, I just need to have faith.

During church today we learned about having our refuge be in Him, in the Gospel. Hebrews 6:18, "so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us." Taking refuge in Him will give me strong encouragement and help me to hold fast to the hope that I know is ahead: I will obtain the internship in His timing, not mine. Or if the internship is not in the plans, I will still become an interpreter, just not in the conventional way. God has a plan, I just need to say strong in my faith and know that the hope is ahead of me: God's plan awaits me. No matter what it is, this is all a part of His plan. His ways are not my ways, and there is nothing wrong with that. It simply means I don't have all the answers. What I do have is faith. Nothing else matters.

Lent

This year has been all about listening to the direction in which God is pointing me. The most recent journey is centered around Lent. Now Lent is something that most associate with Catholicism. Originally Lent was practiced by early Christians as a way to prepare for Easter. As I began to dig into this practice even further I started to realize that there is great significance in following some of the principals of Lent. I purchased a wooden Advent Wreath that can also be used for the 40 days of Lent. Then I brought the idea to my girls. So now our girls CORE group is working on preparing our hearts for Easter. Preparing ourselves to be completely open and raw and focused in on the Gospel. Each of us prayed about what we should give up as a sacrifice for Him. I gave up pop and Facebook. The journey has been worth it so far. We have three parts of our journey, three Biblical principals we are following as we strive to draw ever closer to our Savior. 1) Fasting: Give up something for God. Fasting is not a means to "earn" something from God, but rather a way to learn to curb your appetites and focus more completely on God. 2) Prayer and Meditation: Read over the Gospel accounts of Christ's arrest, trial, and crucifixion. Reflect on His suffering, and the tremendous love that is represents. Reflect on your own sin and what it cost Him. 3) Giving to the poor: Use the money that you save by not eating to help the poor. For more information: http://reflections.cyberpastor.net/bible/what-is-lent/

On my first day I decided to start reading in Romans Ch1. What I found there just further solidified this journey. v.1 states, "Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the Gospel of God." As a follower of Christ my life is set apart for the Gospel. I am saved by the Gospel. The Gospel is a vital part of who I am. v.9 says, "For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son." My service to God happens in the Gospel. To serve Him without the Gospel is pointless. Then in v.15 "So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome." Every chance I get I should be sharing the Gospel with both those who know Christ and those who don't. Eagerly sharing the truth within the Gospel. Next v.16 "For I am not ashamed of the gospel" There is no shame in the Gospel. I should not ever shy away from the Gospel or from sharing it.

As I go through this journey I pray that I will draw ever closer to God through the Gospel and the gift His Son gave by dying on the cross for my sins.