Second Sunday In Lent

Today, we begin, not just the first day of a brand new week, not just another Lord’s Day Sunday, but the Second Sunday in our Lenten Walk. We begin in the freshness and newness of God’s Love, and the everlasting Blood Promises of Jesus, His Son, our Redeemer and Saviour, who shed His Precious Blood to save sinners like you and me. Praise and inexhaustible thanks to God the Holy Spirit, for feeding and nurturing us with these Living Promises. These Blood Promises are our sure hope.

Let’s begin this week and day, with the unconquerable and unmovable hope that is in our Triune God. It is hope that sustains and strengthens, in the midst of our most trying times. It is hope that warms, comforts and carries us through, when we are at the end and feel, not even the least bit of desire to go on. It is hope that never ever disappoints us. Bask freely on this bed of revitalizing, refreshing and resuscitating hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Romans 5: 5.  

What assurance! What steadfastness! What promise! What an anchor for the prone-to-drift and wandering believer. Do you know hope as a strong, effective and ready anchor, worthy of keeping you safe and secure through the most vile and tempestuous storms of daily living? Float and glide freely on the hope which you have in God. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil. Hebrews 6: 19. Is not hope, a priceless, heavenly treasure from God, so freely given?

Above all people, psalmist David also knows this in his turbulent life of high heights and low lows. He is able to unwaveringly speak these words, and show them in his life of ever renewed hope in his God. Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. Psalm 62: 5 – 6 NIV. We also listen to Micah, a prophet and servant of God, who, though not as familiar to many as David is, shares similar heart sentiments about God who is the hope of all His people.  But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me. Micah 7: 7 NIV. O may you and I also watch in hope, for God is our only hope.

Indeed, on this new beginning, this day called Sunday, the first day of the week, we are brought back to remember the Resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who rose on the first day of the week. Each Sunday plies us with more and more strengthened and sustained hope promises of new life, covenant life promises in Jesus, life in all its fullness and beauty because of the Shed Blood of Jesus. None of these promises would be remotely possible, had it not been for the unarguable efficacy of the powerful Blood of Jesus. Like Peter, we too can bless God for this living hope. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you. 1 Peter 1: 3 - 4. There is no resurrection without death, therefore Jesus really gave up His Blood for us. He died!

Reminded of the hope we have in our Lord, we are ready and waiting to complete what was started in the previous week. We were taken through an intricate and mesmerizing grand path of the word, became. A visual move on the word became, showed up two separate words, be and come. The word, be, is who or what you are and the word come, signifies journey, travel, movement, change. Be, is who you are. Become is the change made in you.

Last week, we delved into different Scripture passages, all specifically naming the word, become. Each offered helpful, life-enhancing truths and fruit-bearing wisdom for our Spiritual lives. There were five of them chosen for us, and we were able to delve and dive into four of them. Just as hope was rightly and freely divided to each of us, we saw and felt the intimacy between, Jesus and the Father, when He engaged in fervent prayer to Him. In like manner, we continue this week, with the fellowship of a deep spiritual bond between spiritual brothers.