Lent With A Heart Of Celebration

"Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

John 11:25-26

Hello and happy Monday,

Happy March! This year is flying by and I can't believe we are on the tail end of winter. I hope you are enjoying some warmer weather. I am writing to you from Chicago and it is still quite cold. I hope you are warming up and seeing some first signs of spring.

Right now, I am sipping a cup of rooibos tea with some cream as I think about this upcoming week. This Wednesday is Ash Wednesday, and the Lenten season begins.

I love the season of Lent and what it represents. Lent is the 40 days before Easter. It is a time to reflect on what Jesus did on the cross for us. Many people take the 40 days of Lent to sacrifice of themselves, fast, pray, and to look to the cross.

I like to think of this time similar to Advent, and the days leading up to Christmas. Yes, Lent is typically a time of surrender and reflecting on our need for a Savior. But I see Lent as a time of celebration. Just like Advent, we should celebrate life! In the Christmas season, we celebrate the new life of baby Jesus. At Easter, we celebrate the resurrection life of Jesus, and our NEW life that we have been given in light of His resurrection.

I know it is important to remember the cross and how much we need salvation from sin, but I believe that we, as the Western Church, focus more on this than the NEW life we have in Christ! Yes, we remember the cross this time of year, but it is SO IMPORTANT to celebrate the gift of NEW life that we have been given!

Over the coming days and weeks as you fix your eyes on Easter, I want to encourage you to celebrate NEW life as well as the cross.

Peace and joy,
Kia Coquoz - TeaJoy Daily Devotionals

Lord, thank you for your love and your goodness. Jesus, during this season of Lent, I look to you. I praise you for your sacrificial love and how you went to the cross for me. Lord, I lay myself down as a living sacrifice. Jesus, I also praise you and thank you that the cross was not final. Thank you for your resurrection and for the life that is found in you. I praise you and thank you that I am a new creation in you. Lord, I pray that this time of year I can reflect on this truth and pour out your love to others around me. Lord, your will be done! Amen.