WELCOME:
Welcome to Goshen College’s online devotional series for the 2010 Lent season! “Holding On and Letting Go” is this year’s theme taken from Mennonite Church USA worship resources. A time for reflection and soul searching, the season of Lent calls us to follow Jesus, watch what he does, listen to what he says and identify with Jesus in his mission. The closer we come to Jesus, the more we become aware of the ways our lives and actions may not reflect the life and vision of Jesus.
Throughout the next five weeks on weekdays, 35 students, faculty and staff will reflect on this as well as daily Scriptures and the seven weekly sub-themes: In the shelter of the Most High; Stand firm in the Lord; My souls thirsts for you; Be reconciled to God; I will make … rivers in the desert; He humbled himself; and Alive in Christ.
Holding on and letting go. Seems simple, right? Of course I can hold onto what I want and let go of those areas that clutter my life. Possibly. The challenge, however, is to discern what God might want us to hold on to and let go of, versus my own selfish desires or painful realities that hinder those ideals. Recently I’ve become aware of certain “life things” that I thought I long let go of … but apparently the grip is still there. Holding on and letting go … not as simple as I would like. As a Christian pastor, of course I hold on desperately to Jesus, but then that assumed reality is challenged when I discover I have not talked to Jesus in quite awhile. Holding on and letting go … not as good as I thought I was at this.
What clings to you? What tries to flee from you? What do you long to clasp tight? What do you try to shake off, but somehow sticks to you like that annoying loose piece of tape?
PRAYER:
God, help us to realize that which grips us, of what we must loosen our grip and to know the difference between the two.