Morning Devotions From the Edges – Replace

From the Edges – Morning Devotional

Pastor Calvin Cook

Lent – Day 38 – Replaced

Scripture focus – 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

At the breaking of the day of Passover, Jesus was calling the Disciples to some very foundational acts to draw them closer to the heart of God and experience the new covenant that was being made with them. Simply this day has some very simple instructions from Jesus to the Disciples and to us: Go and prepare, Come, and receive, remember where you were as a people, seek forgiveness, find redemption, pray, be faithful.

As I read the accounts of this day and how we are to respond, it is summed up in one word – Replace. Actually, that is what this whole season of Lent was to be about, it was about replacing the things that are not of God with more of God. We talked a good game six weeks ago, but now through many occurrences we have slipped. We have forgotten the commitment and promises we have made to God. This is typical of the way we have lived and continue to live our life. We are quick out of the gate but fade quickly back to our old thought patterns and ways or venture down the wrong path and suddenly there we are again right where we started.

This day should be something different. For the Disciples of Jewish heritage, it was a release from the heritage, custom, and actions of their way to a new a clearer definition of what relationship with God might actually be. No longer would their faith in God be governed by the religious or oppressors. Passover was a time to seriously remember freedom from oppression and slavery. Christ impending death was a sacrifice that would replace all sacrifices, it was a new covenant with Christ blood would be poured out for the forgiveness of sins and to follow a better way, the Jesus way.

All were invited, all had the option to receive, all had choices to make. So do we! We really need to approach the table of the Lord with an open and receptive heart to replace the things that are separating us from the eternal love of God.