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Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Today's Frontline Devotion Friday, February 27, 2004 Abstinence |
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Frontline Devotion for
Friday, February 27, 2004, by Catherine Singelsether
A common Lenten tradition is to give something up, like chocolate, to pay homage
to God and honor his sacrifice. Be it great or small, the purpose is for
discipline and spiritual good. Along with this is fasting, and other rituals
that help to bring us closer to God. So what is abstinence? In the bible it
tells us to abstain from certain things, like doing evil, to protect us. Abstain
means to give something up.
Webster’s definition means “to hold back, or refrain.” The root means “to hold
back”. You are either holding yourself back from doing something, and it also
means to keep someone else from doing something. To hinder, to withhold. To deny
oneself of something. In any event it requires a conscious effort by the self
to promote an action. I’ve never practiced that tradition, giving something up,
and for me giving up chocolate would take a lot of discipline! But it is
important.
Playing now in the theaters is “The Passion of the Christ” directed by Mel Gibson, about God’s
sacrifice. Some don’t like it because it strips away artifice in order to tell
the truth. The Passion of Jesus was that he chose to make the sacrifice. Jesus’
life was all about discipline and he chose to do it, to deny himself to carry
out God’s will. He did it for God, but He did it also for us. Sacrifice was part
of what made him such a great model for us and made him great. No doubt any of
us can learn a lot about discipline from him. The lesson about sacrifice is that
it is essential for any great good. Nothing was achieved from someone who didn’t
put an effort into it. And this is the same for the quality of our relationship
with God. So this Lent I think I am going to try and give up my chocolate,
knowing that whenever I let go, God will give me something better back.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY: Dearest Lord, Words will fail in trying to say “thank
you” for all you’ve ever done for us, every time you put yourself back so we
could get our way, every simple thing you do. We love you so much and ask you to
teach us the lesson this Lent that will enlighten us and bring us closer to you. Thank you for all your precious gifts. Amen.
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