Pauses for Lent Day 2
Pauses for Lent by Trevor Hudson
Day 2 Word: RETURN
Scripture: “Return to the Lord, your God, for he is gracious and merciful” Joel 2:13
Our lives continually drift away from their true home. We forget we are God’s beloved. We succumb to the temptations of the world. We ignore the cries of our sisters and brothers. We focus only on ourselves.
During Lent, God calls us home. We remember who we truly are. We let God be God in our lives. We respond to our suffering neighbor. During lent, listen for this Good News: God passionately loves us and want us to come home. Lent invites us to open our lives to this love however far we may have drifted and to return again to the God who longs for us.
Comment from Marie: Return. Repent. Walk toward God’s love. It may not require a huge course correction. What changes, big or small, can be made to walk more fully in God’s love? For me, being more grateful is a start. What other thoughts do you have on today’s word?
Day 2 Word: RETURN
Scripture: “Return to the Lord, your God, for he is gracious and merciful” Joel 2:13
Our lives continually drift away from their true home. We forget we are God’s beloved. We succumb to the temptations of the world. We ignore the cries of our sisters and brothers. We focus only on ourselves.
During Lent, God calls us home. We remember who we truly are. We let God be God in our lives. We respond to our suffering neighbor. During lent, listen for this Good News: God passionately loves us and want us to come home. Lent invites us to open our lives to this love however far we may have drifted and to return again to the God who longs for us.
Comment from Marie: Return. Repent. Walk toward God’s love. It may not require a huge course correction. What changes, big or small, can be made to walk more fully in God’s love? For me, being more grateful is a start. What other thoughts do you have on today’s word?
4 Comments
I love the word "return"! For me, it has a much more positive connotation than "repent". Return has the word "turn" in it which reminds me to "Turn my eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things on earth will grown strangely dim, in the light of his glory and grace."
'Return' holds wonderful connotations for me. The return of loved ones after an absence, the return of the parents as a teenaged babysitter, the return to a favorite vacation destination and our return home again. Returning to God is the best return of all, and thanks for the reminder as we travel through Lent and always.
"Return" is an good choice. It's not negative like some other words such as "repent" as Candi mentions. I'm liking this study and we're only 2 days in! I think it is good for any time of year...not just Lent. Having a regular reminder of God's love for us is wonderful.
I also really like this word "return". "Return" to God. I know I fall away from God at times. Lenten season is a time for preparation. This is a time to get back to God, pray, read the Bible, get close/back in touch with the Holy Spirit--"begin again". I hope to use this season to do just that!