Shade Tree Wisdom 3/13/11

Lent is about
“Ye who think of sin but lightly,
Nor suppose the evil great,
Here may view its nature rightly,
Here its guilt may estimate
Mark the sacrifice appointed,
See who bears the awful load.
‘Tis the Word, the Lord’s anointed,
Son of man and Son of God.” LSB 451,3

When we think of what that says, and realize who paid the price on the
cross for us, we begin to understand how serious God regards sin. In His Holy eyes, sin is not just a bit of ‘Oh. Boys will be boys”, or “they’ll grow out of it” or “its youthful indiscretion”, then smile fondly. No, sin is an offense against the Almighty God because it breaks His Holy commandment.

Alexander Pope gives us some lines to remember when he wrote:
“Vice is a monster of so frightful mien,
That to be hated is but to be seen.
But, seen too oft, familiar with her face,
We first endure, then pity, then embrace.”
In short, we get used to it. Then it becomes something that we get so used to seeing that we begin to look it as normal behavior. And that is the reason a Season such as Lent can serve to strengthen our faith because it deepens our understanding of the right and the wrong, and we see most clearly just why God had to send His Son Jesus Christ to pay the terrible price our sins
demand.

One way to search out the wrong is to ask direct questions. Luther had some suggestions in the Small Catechism when he says one might first consider where we are as husband, wife, son, daughter, worker or whatever. Then “Have I been disobedient, unfaithful, lazy, quarrelsome, hot-tempered, rude. Have I hurt with word or deed, stolen, been negligent, been wasteful, or done other harm”?

Think of this truth. “He (That is, Christ), died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him that died for them and rose again”. 2 Corinthians 5,15.

May your days of Lent serve to make you strong in your faith, believing His Word and so being sure that Christ Jesus died for YOU.

GPD 3/13/11