Lent 2009 #36

1 Corinthians 1:18,25-30 

18 For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 25For God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God's weakness is stronger than human strength. 25 For God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God's weakness is stronger than human strength. 26 Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, 29 so that no one might boast in the presence of God. 30 He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption

THOUGHTS:

It sounds crazy, doesn't it?  God chooses to save the world through death.  Jesus died to realign our relationship with God.  What?

Yet that's how it played out.  We are now reconciled to God through our own brokenness at the foot of the cross.  

God shows time and time again that our real value isn't measured by the standards of the world.  It is not about how smart you are, how connected you are, what you look like, how cool you are, what clothes you wear, how many "fans" you have, what tint your skin has, how sexy you are, what movies you like, how many houses you own, how big your army is, what your major is, what "stuff" you own, who you work for, who your friends are, who you find attractive, where you are from, how many people you've kissed, what music you like, or ANYTHING else that our society tells us is important!

You are worth more than you can possibly imagine or comprehend because of who you are at your core: a beloved child of God.  It's out of your control -- your value comes from being loved by God!  This truth still sounds foolish to our ears today...

PRAYER:

O Lord, our God, we can scarcely believe it is true that you love us so much.  Please accept our humble thanks.  Our lives are yours.  Lead us as you wish. In Jesus name, AMEN.

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