Watch, Wait…Be Ready

40 Gifts of Lent | Gift 5

Reflections on Matthew 25 – end

Watch, therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”  Matthew 25:13

And the story shines on with light fighting the darkness, gaining victory over strongholds, giving strength through the trials. The king, the giver of life and bearer of true light is betrothed, he has gone on a journey, and he is going to return to be married.

We are his bride and a bride prepares to meet her bridegroom.

The bridegroom is coming!
Watch for his return
Wait…
Be ready!

We are called to watch for him, to do our work to prepare for him.  Do not lose hope in waiting. Do not fall asleep when there is work to be done.

The gift of readiness is to be alive and alert…to use all of the means God has given you to know him and love him and trust him.

“So, could you not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray that you may stay away from temptation. Your spirit wants to do what is right, but your body is weak.” Matthew 26:40-41 (ESV and  Easy-to-Read version)

Reflections on Matthew 25 – 28

About 40 Gifts of Lent

I love the anticipation of celebrating birthdays with my children and grandchildren and can’t wait to gather again with my family and friends around a brightly lit tree at Christmas. My focus for any event or special occasion is mostly on the gift I will buy and then tape it up with all of the wrapping and trimmings to make it a beautiful presentation to give away. I do enjoy watching them rip into the paper and toss the pretty bow without a care to get to the inside of that package.

It’s so much fun to be on the receiving end of good gifts!

I am anticipating the arrival of Easter and celebrating the most amazingly good gift I’ve ever received. I want to focus my heart on the fulfilled expectation of Christ’s first coming and the glorious expectation of His second coming. I want to focus on the freedom I have in Christ to overcome strongholds, yet also to gain strength, hope, and peace as I lean into the trials.

Lent is usually about giving something up to remember the sufferings and ultimate price that Christ endured on our behalf. But I’m not doing that this year. While I’ll never forget the price Jesus paid to rescue me, I don’t want to give something up in order to remember…to receive inner peace or a personal triumph of going without.

I want to anticipate and receive unexpected gifts during Lent. I want to rip open beautiful presents everyday to discover a different gift inside. When I discovered the link to #theLentChallenge to read the entire New Testament during Lent 2014, I immediately knew, by making this commitment, I would receive (at least) 40 gifts! My heart is bursting at its seams in anticipation for the gifts God will show me.

You are welcome to join me in opening a new gift everyday. It’s not too late to start.

More Grace,
Donna