Monday, February 16, 2015
Ephesians 5:25-26 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word.
JESUS GAVE UP WIFE AND FAMILY
During the days of Lent this year I'm going to try to think of things I have that Jesus gave up. I don't plan to then give these things up for Lent, that's not the point. The point is to focus my thoughts on what my Savior was willing give up for me.
The first thing that came to mind this week was a family. Jesus never had one of his own. He never met that one special girl, never courted, never proposed. He never married her, never went on vacations with her, never had children and grandchildren. Never grew old together with her.
Thinking about this has helped me to appreciate my own family more. But as I pondered, I realized that I was wrong.
Sure, it's true that Jesus didn't have a wife and children of his own. But he DID raise a family. The whole reason the Son of God became human was to court a bride, to win her, and raise a family. Jesus gave up a single, earthly bride and a short lifetime with a few children to gain a huge family--and to be able to spend eternity with them in heaven.
Part of Lent is thinking about our sins, those sins that made Christ's sacrifice necessary. And it's here that the idea of being part of God's family through faith in Christ is supremely comforting. God doesn't disown us because we've failed in our area of responsibility. We're family. He forgives us instead, because of Christ's cross, and just goes on teaching us how to do things the right way.
As we travel through Lent, think about yourself in this way: You're part of God’s family through faith in his Son. Everything Jesus gave up, he gave up because he loved you and wanted you to spend eternity with him.
