Lenten Devotions 5

Now that Lent has come and gone and we are now officially into the season of Easter, I want to do something I meant to do throughout Lent. As you may know, Fourth Church puts out daily devotions that are available via email, on the website, or in print each week. Most of the time, these are written by members of the Fourth Church staff. During special seasons of the church year, like Lent, we also invite members of the congregation to contribute to these. This year's Lent devotions were excellent, and several of them were written by Fourth Church youth or adults associated with the youth program. As something of a Lenten retrospective, I want to post these Fourth Church Youth devotions on this blog, in case you missed them before. Thanks to all who worked hard on writing these!

Scripture Reading: Zephaniah 2:4–7

Reflection
My initial response to the text for today was, “Who did I make mad to get assigned this one?” As I continued to think, read, and talk to my wife, I began to consider the two major thoughts of the text—one of forsakenness and desolation and one of promise. I sometimes feel forsaken as I busy myself with my career and the “important” things in life. But these are the things of the world—things unimportant to God. God doesn’t focus on destruction and devastation. Ours is a God of renewal and regeneration.

Zephaniah reminds me that God himself is preparing a place for me. A place where I will return, not when I get around to it but when God calls for me. As the world calls me to its agenda, I will be reminded that there is a place of quiet rest that God is preparing. I don’t think our world is a quiet place. It is a place where the people of God must remember that God is in charge, God intervenes for us, and God calls us to return from those things that hold us captive.

Prayer
God of returning captives: Help me remember during the strife that I create that you have already prepared a place for me. Not because I deserve it but because you wanted to. Let me live in this knowledge and understanding throughout this Lenten season and beyond. Through Christ Jesus, my Savior. Amen.

Written by Rob Sinclair, Elevation Sunday School Teacher