Lenten Devotion – Intentionally Pursue the things of God
Day 1 – 5 Mar 2025
“But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called…” 1 Timothy 6:11-12
The Apostle Paul highlights three action words in these short two verses: pursue, fight, take hold.
This tells us that there is an active part for us to play in our growth in our Christian faith. Our spiritual progress is not all on God’s part alone. We need to do something about our own development.
What are we then to do? Pursue the things of God, fight to conquer our own fears and laziness and grasp firmly onto the Holy Spirit’s continual saving work in our lives. These are actions and habits to cultivate for the whole of our lives because they are so crucial to our salvation and growth.
In this season of Lent, we not only have special services like Ash Wednesday (tonight), Maundy Thursday and Good Friday to help us commemorate the life and death of Christ, we are also encouraged to embark on a period of fast for forty days.
Fasting is not only the deprivation of something valuable to us, it is also the pursuit of something that is valuable to God. This is what I would term as the “remove and replace principle”. We cannot simply take away something without replacing it with something else. We just do not work this way!
Just yesterday at our weekly clergy meeting, Archbishop Titus encouraged all of us to intentionally plan and purpose to fast from something. What we do cannot be incidental or “go with the flow”. Only our deliberate actions will make this season a most fruitful one for us.
So at the start of Lent, what is your plan of action to pursue, fight and take hold of the things of God? Choose one thing to fast from and one thing to practice in its place. And see the wonders that God will work in your life this season!
Revd Ian🙏✝️
Almighty and everlasting God,
you hate nothing that you have made
and forgive the sins of all those who are penitent:
create and make in us new and contrite hearts
that we, worthily lamenting our sins
and acknowledging our wretchedness,
may receive from you, the God of all mercy,
perfect remission and forgiveness;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.