Lent- Week 5

Lent (Week Five)
Scripture Focus: Jeremiah 1:17; John 12:1-11
Objective: To discover our need to GET READY for the plan God has for us

Welcome to week five of this Lenten observance- this is our last week before Holy Week!

Now that we have been renewed, it is important for us to GET READY! This coming Sunday, March 28th marks Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem. We recognize this Sunday as Palm Sunday because of the palm branches that the people waved and placed on the ground as a sign of worship and recognition of Jesus as LORD! It is easy to get excited about the coming King, but the reality is we must be READY to receive Him.

When God called the prophet Jeremiah into ministry, Jeremiah had a host of excuses to validate his inability to do what God called him to do. However, Jeremiah 1:17 gives us a clear look into how God felt about Jeremiah's excuses: "Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify you before them." In this one verse, God is teaching us the importance of fulfilling our call. Whatever God calls us to do, God has equipped us to do...however, we must make the decision to not let anything stand in our way!

When God told Jeremiah to "get yourself ready," God literally said "resolutely prepare for your appointed task". What is the "appointed task" that God has called you to? What moves has God told you to make? When we allow fear to be an excuse, God declares that same fear will be turned on our heads. It's almost like when we were children- "Stop crying before I give you something to cry about"! Do you remember hearing that? Oftentimes our parents said that because we were crying PREMATURELY! God is saying the same thing "stop being scared for I give you a reason to be scared"...yep, that's what He told Jeremiah! So, what does this have to do with Lent?

During this Lenten season of reflection, we are challenged by God to draw closer to Him. However, drawing closer to God does not come without its share of challenges. Drawing closer to God means that we hear God more clearly...as we hear God, we're challenged to move to higher heights--GET READY!!!!

Jesus sets this example for us in John 12:1-11. Prior to His entry into Jerusalem, Jesus stops in on his friends- Mary, Martha, and their brother Lazarus. While there, Mary breaks open her most expensive perfume and begins to anoint Jesus' body. Now what's the big deal???

In this culture, it was custom to anoint the dead prior to burial. Although Jesus was not dead, this was giving us a peak into what is to come. Jesus could have stopped Mary...even though Judas had wrong motives, he gave Jesus the perfect way of escape. However, Jesus declares that Mary is doing what was necessary. So, what can we learn from Jesus?

1-People will object (John 12:4-6)
When you make up your mind that you are going to GET READY for your next step in God, people will object. Imagine how hard it must have been for Jesus (remember Jesus was fully human and fully divine)! This means that Jesus felt emotion as we do. Can you honestly say that if your "cup" from God was to DIE on a CROSS for somebody else you would not have some emotions pulling at you? Jesus did...(check out his words in Gethsemane).

Ok...Judas objects to Mary helping Jesus to GET READY! The scripture tells us that his objection was not pure though- it wasn't about the poor, but it was about himself. We've got to be careful that we do not allow the objections of people to sway us from where God is guiding us. Remember, their objections are usually about them and really have nothing to do with your betterment!

A friend of mine was sharing with me his discontentment due to a lack of support from individuals who should be pushing and encouraging him. He called them "haters". As I told him, I must remind myself and you in this lesson of GETTING READY: we would not have haters if we didn't have anything they would want! I believe that objections (or haters) are God's best compliments to a believer!

2-Stand Up & Say What God Declares (John 12:7-8 & Jeremiah 1:17)
After Judas' objection, Jesus has the opportunity to stay silent or declare God's word! You know it...Jesus spoke what God had already declared to be so! Mary was acting in the will of God. Not only was Mary in the will of God, but Jesus showed us that He was ready to fulfill what God sent Him to the world to do. Jesus had done as God declared to Jeremiah "get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you..."!

Can we firmly declare that we can do this? Are we ready? God is seeking for those of us who are not looking for something to be afraid of...instead, we are "resolutely prepared for our appointed task"!!! Whatever God has declared to be your task, get ready! Don't sit and wait on the task/season/new level to appear...prepare for it! Nothing would be worse than getting a brand new car and not knowing how to drive! Ready or Not...it's time to GO!

May God allow your cup to overflow as you GET READY for your NEW THING!!!!