Tomorrow morning ushers in Lent, the period of focus, the season of sacrifice, and the time of looking forward, in anticipation of Easter Resurrection Sunday, and on Easter, Christians will celebrate the risen Savior, BUT what happens during the days leading up to that celebratory Sunday of Remembrance? LENT. That happens as we walk through a 40 day (maybe a 40+ day) period of preparation, &

Ash Wednesday is tomorrow—-the day that STARTS the season and period of Lent. Tomorrow. We are given this one day, an opportunity to recall our life before Jesus.  We recall ourself BEFORE we accepted the truth of God, a day, a 24-hour period to recall what our lives looked like BEFORE WE KNEW GOD.

I do NOT know a single Christian, a single believer, who has ever said, “I think I’ll go back to my former self because I just don’t like how God is blessing my life, and I just don’t want God continuing to provide for my needs, and I just don’t want Jesus walking with me through the trials of my life.” NOPE. No one says, “I think I’ll just give up this Jesus stuff.”
NOPE.

NO ONE would ever willing choose to step away from God. Truthfully, if we allow our faith to become weak, then it’s a daily, slow fade because people do NOT accept God and then leave God because once we are found, we CANNOT be lost again. So……We do not….

***SEE the truth of God, and then….OR

***ASK God to forgive them for those sins against Him, and then….

***TURN away from their sins, from carrying our burden of sin, and then….

***ACCEPT God’s forgiveness for those sins…..and willingly…..

****GIVE UP our new, secure person God has saved us to be.

****We do not desire to return to our former old self.

NO ONE ACCEPTS THE LOVE OF GOD & HIS ETERNAL HOPE & then Returns BACK toward his Former Self………walking away from God…….WILLINGLY!!!!!

NOPE.

Just as turning toward God is a daily decision, so is turning away from God a daily decision.
YES, for SURE.

Turning from this to that constitutes a daily choice.

Turning away from this and toward that (something temporal and earthly) requires a daily slide, a daily choosing to slide, to fade, to walk away from God.

Turning is a decision.

****We either step (willing) TOWARD God OR

****We step (willing) AWAY from God. 

The Bible speaks of our walk with God in many passages, and one is never more right, more revealing, more directional than another. The Bible is God’s Word given to us (to humanity) as a way to seek God, as a way to hear God speak through His Word to us, and as a way to learn more about the identity of our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ. That’s why we study God’s Word every day. It is a daily walk. It is a daily choice. It is a daily decision of obedience. All athletes, all soldiers, and all students comprehend the importance of training and focus. As God’s Children, we should too.
So, today (on this Day Before the Day of Ash Wednesday, the Day Before the start of Lent) on this Tuesday morning, let us really consider whether or not we will seek God in more intimacy; let us choose to participate in the period of remembrance; and let us ponder what Jesus sacrificed to provide the only way to His Salvation.

Will we sacrifice something in our life in exchange for more time in studying God’s Word; & will we personally grapple with giving our whole self to following Jesus.

Let us first begin with our eyes.  Yes our eyes.

In cross country, the terrain is unpredictable, forever rising and falling, constantly dipping and turning, and often requiring runners to hurdle over objects (or at least take a wider stride across debris cluttering the course) that could cause them to stumble, to fall, or to even become injured.

Picture in your mind a cold, crisp Autumn, Saturday morning, one when the temperature begins at 42 degrees. On race day, coaches like to take their team  on a jog/walk across the course.  As runners mature, the team captains often take on this task, utilizing the course jog/walk as a race warm-up too. Walking the course is especially important when speaking of young runners—-elementary and middle schoolers, who may be unfamiliar with the course.   In order to walk the course together, to see the course in our minds,  we need certain factors to occur.

1. The runners must arrive early.

2. The runners must go at a slower pace.

3. The runners must remain attentive as they walk/jog the course.

4. The runners must see the course and remember what he sees once (later) the racing pistol sounds. &

5. The runners must keep their eyes moving, lifting and falling as they SEE the COURSE.

***ARRIVING EARLY.

***GOING AT A SLOWER PACE.

***REMAINING ATTENTIVE.

***SEEING THE COURSE & REMEMBERING.

***KEEPING OUR EYES MOVING and SCANNING, WATCHING FOR DEBRIS, LOOKING FOR OBSTACLES THAT COULD CAUSE US TO STUMBLE OR FALL.

David was a man, just like us. Flesh and blood. The Bible says David was a man after God’s heart.  David began his early life shepherding lambs in a field and training to become a valiant warrior. David later rose to become the king of Israel and made mistakes (both bad and good life-decisions) just like us. In one of David’s psalms, he wrote—-

“Hear a just cause, O LORD, give heed to my cry;  Give ear to my prayer, which is not from deceitful lips.  Let my judgment come forth from Your presence;  Let Your eyes look with equity.  You have tried my heart;  You have visited me by night;  You have tested me and You find nothing;  I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress.   As for the deeds of men, by the word of Your lips. I have kept from the paths of the violent.  My steps have held fast to Your paths.  My feet have not slipped.  I have called upon You, for You will answer me, O God;  Incline Your ear to me, hear my speech.  Wondrously show Your lovingkindness,  O Savior of those who take refuge at Your right hand. From those who rise up against them.”

(Psalm 16: 1-7).

God leads us on the best course for our lives. We step out in faith, trusting and following Him. We boldly step toward God in faith, coming to accept His gift of salvation, following His daily leading, training our minds, learning to follow Him as we go, and taking steps of faith to do God’s will.

One step at a time.

Following.

Remaining Attentive to God’s teaching.

Listening.

Observing as we go.

Paying attention to our surroundings and to those who are in need.

Not always knowing the next step, but trusting God…..knowing that He does.

Seeing His leading AS we walk with Him…….daily.

Training ourselves through the daily study of His Word.

Trusting.

Seeing God.

Watching Him as He works.

Observing as we go.

Fixing our eyes upon God.

Scanning the course for debris that might cause us to stumble, or to fall, or to become injured. 
We do our part, and God faithfully promises us that He will lead us, provide for us, prepare us for heaven, and then guide us home….across the finish line.

What else do we ever need?!!!

With God beside us on our life-course, all things are surely possible.