Our “New Day” can begin (again) during Lent.

 We all know that the Season of Lent is about a renewed understanding of our dependence on the forgiveness of God in Christ Jesus. Of how repentance leads to new and fresh beginnings as we begin a journey towards Easter, resurrection and victory.

 

We realise during Lent that we do not have to wait till the day when Jesus returns, to become new, transformed people! That Lent is, contrary to some, more about adding transformation and new life to our Christian journey, than giving up things that we anyway should be giving up all the time.

 

No, Lent teaches that a transformed life starts here and now. It begins on the day God reconciles us with Godself. On the day we experience our redemption, we celebrate by singing and shouting:  a new day has begun!

 

Read in 2 Corinthians 5:17ff:- “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:  The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:  that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ.

 

All this is a gift from God. The Holy Spirit recreates me into someone new. I was reborn into a new me according to the image of Christ.

This new person does not hide or run away from God anymore. This new person does not oppose the values of God’s Kingdom or the dream, the vision and prayer our Lord has for the Church and his people.

No, this new person experiences the liberation from the chains of sin – through penitence and repentance.

This new person celebrates forgiveness.

This new person seeks what is good for others and rather looks how to give, than how to receive.

This new person is excited that in Christ, a new day has begun once again!

 

The new “me” thirsts for friendship with God, practice how to be good friend of our God and longs to walk with God.  The new “me” wants to work for God. I now celebrate that my sins do not count against me anymore. I beg the Lord that I may become a change agent for his sake. I. look forward to the day when others benefit from my transformation. The new “me” seeks the glory and honour of God in every aspect of my life.

 

During Lent we realise anew that we represent the eternal King on the Father’s right hand. We teach what he taught, we bring the message he brought, we look forward to celebrate his resurrection and his victory on Resurrection Sunday. We promise those who still are lost the forgiveness of sin. We live for our King and invite the world to enter and celebrate the everlasting Kingdom of life and love.

And we shout it out every day: A new day has begun!