Glorious Exchange God’s promises to us include life, joy, and our greatest longings fulfilled. He promises to meet us in our deepest desires of love and belonging. Yet we doubt these promises, believing other things will bring us life, joy, and fulfillment. These other things become small-g gods, idols that we serve because we believe they will give us the life we have always wanted. During this Lenten season, we want to make space in our lives for God to show himself to us as well as space for us to recognize the hidden gods we serve, rely on, and worship. In this guide, you will find further instructions and daily devotionals. Making space will require a few things:
VISION OF HOPE Hope is more
than a feeling; it is a person (Hebrews 5:17–20). Our hope is found in Jesus, who saves us and promises he will never fail us. Yet we look to idols as our hope, believing they will save us. And the truth is, no matter how faithful we are to these false gods, they will fail us, and when they do, we will come crashing down with them. With Jesus, it does not matter how faithful we are; he will never fail us because his faithfulness is perfect. Where is your hope set? Would you be willing to place Jesus himself as your vision of hope? Would you be willing to surrender to God’s vision of hope and allow him to be your God?
WILLINGNESS TO BE SEEN Fear
so often leads us, even when it comes to our relationship with God. We are afraid for him to see us for who we are because we are afraid of what he might say. What if you knew that being seen didn’t change your value and worth? What if you knew that being seen would be met with God’s goodness and grace ? (Psalm 139:23–24) Would that change your willingness to be seen? Would you be willing to be seen by God and allow him to meet you in this Lenten season?
COURAGE TO STEP OUT After being
seen, what will you do? We have options and one of them, again, is fear. What will we continue to believe about God? Will he still love us and carry us as we step out to live differently, depending on him (Isaiah 46:3–4) rather than our false gods? Would you be willing to have the courage to step out in faith rather than fear, to step out in new and unfamiliar ways, to trust God rather than any idols you have trusted in? So, join me, as we trust Jesus as our hope, as we are willing to be seen by God and as we step out in courage. The God of the universe asks us to exchange our gods for him (Jeremiah 2:11) just as he exchanged himself for our sake and for the world he loves (2 Corinthians 5:21). Trusting our God with you,
Laura Murray Pastor of Spiritual Formation
You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalm 16:11