On Easter, believers join together around our Monument community and the world to celebrate the freedom and forgiveness from sin that Jesus provides for us through His death and resurrection. It's easy to feel our hearts swell with joy and gratitude as we worship alongside our brothers and sisters in Christ, but we often quickly forget these moments when sin is tempting us to lose our patience and snap at a loved one or to gossip and belittle a friend behind their back.
The season of Lent has been observed by Christians for hundreds of years as a way to examine our hearts for hidden sin and to seek a deeper relationship with our Lord. This time of reflection is meant to increase our understanding of His sacrifice and our joy on Easter morning.
Our sins, large and small, are the reason Jesus went to the cross. When we recognize this truth and remember His suffering, it gives us strength to walk away from old habits and to continue to seek His kingdom first in every situation — not only during Lent but throughout our entire lives.
As you walk through your own Lent journey, here are six Bible verses from the ESV translation to add to your meditations.
Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David. Isaiah 55:2-3
Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children's children Deuteronomy 4:9
He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God and afflicted.
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 53:3-5
Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. Isaiah 55:6-7
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. Psalm 51:10-12
I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36:25-26
