Another busy Saturday morning. Over breakfast, our family talks about our day. Today, we have to go watch Lily cheer, we have to clean the house, we have to go to the grocery store, we have to go to Target, we have to do laundry, we have to meet our friends for dinner, we have to cut Owen’s hair, and list goes on and on. I am sure your family has busy days like this, too. It all seems a bit daunting with everything that “has” to take place in a single day.
Think about the list of “have to’s” we put on ourselves to follow God. We tend to feel like we have to go to church, have to give money, and have to serve in kid’s ministry (but you really do!). As Christians, we put a ton of have to’s on our lives that Jesus never intended. “For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11: 30)
I think about those who lived in Old Testament times and their list of “have to’s”. They had to make sacrifices, had to keep the Sabbath, and had to refrain from eating certain foods just to name a few. Jesus bore all the “have to’s” for us on the cross and replaced them with “get to’s”. Thinking about that stops me in my tracks. “But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5) Because He died on the cross for us, if we simply repent of our sins and follow Him, we then get to be in an eternal relationship with Him. We get to worship, sing praises, read His Word, serve, and give to Him.
As we are in the season of Lent, it is the perfect time to reflect on the gravity and importance of what Jesus did for us. Use the next 40 days leading up to Easter to be intentional in your time with Him by using a Lenten devotion from YouVersion or enjoy one from the list below that you can do with your entire family. At the very least, remind yourself He has removed the burden of “have to’s” for those who follow Him.
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