As we enter into the Season of Lent, we do so with our eyes fixed on Jesus.
We remember the joy that we can now experience because of His victory over death.
This first week of Lent, we are going to practice what it looks like to invite joy into our daily lives. And while Lent is traditionally a season for intentional repentance and fasting, itās doing so in order to create space to find our fullness of joy and satisfaction in God. Itās not just a turning away from our addictions or the immediacy of our satisfaction in these things, but a turning toward the things of God.
Imagine it as the careful unfolding of the tight grips we hold onto.
Itās learning to open our palms in expectation, to create the space in us to meet with God who satisfies all of our needs and wants and desires.
But why is it that we often find ourselves joyless? What keeps us from experiencing Him and enjoying Him completely?
Read through passages in Psalm 84 and do so with palms open as a sign of humility and hunger for God:
Ask Him for the gift of His grace to desire for Him. Ask Him to help you trust Him.
How lovely is your dwelling place,
My soul yearns, even faints,
for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh cry out
for the living God.
Even the sparrow has found a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may have her youngā
a place near your altar,
Lord Almighty, my King and my God.
Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
they are ever praising you.
As they pass through the Valleys,
they make it a place of springs;
Better is one day in your courts
than a thousand elsewhere.
Amen.
Why is it that we often find ourselves so joyless? We have so many meetings, but no connection. We eat, but donāt feel satisfied. When we take time off, we donāt feel rested. We are constantly distracted by the hundreds of options that entice us for better and more instant gratifications.
And why, because thatās how God designed us. He designed us with eternity in our hearts and a yearning in our souls. But we take this yearning and try to fill it with easier more tangible things like feeling loved by how many people notice us online or by numbing ourselves by filling our hours with netflix or games or even with other people.
But what if we actually believed that God can fill this longing. What if the God who created you, knew exactly what would satisfy you?
So how do we practice creating space and participating in the joy of being with the God who satisfies us?
We need to first identify the distractions in our lives that keep us from being present with God. It can be as simple as shutting off the tv. Turning off the phone. Getting out of the house. Get rid of whatever distracts us just for 30 minutes every day this week. And for that half an hour, try to find a quiet place or turn on the playlist weāve made for this season. And while you wait in that quiet place,
Pray this with us:
God, You deserve my full attention. I am learning to be present with You.
After the 30 minutes, journal the thoughts you had. You might notice how difficult it was. You might have gotten bored or tried to reach for your phone again. Thatās okay. Weāre practicing to bring our attention back to God.
This week is an act of faith. We are learning to let go and instead choose God. So letās practice finding enjoyment in the stillness of inviting God to be the center of our attention.
Letās pray:
God, You and you alone satisfy me. In You, I find
And for Parents, a prayer of blessing over your child:
Child, may you find God at the center. May you experience the goodness and the joy that comes from being close to Him. Amen.
To listen to the audio version of this Lenten Devotional, click here.