This is part of Emptied & Humbled, a movie based Lenten devotional. The whole devotional can be found here.
We make sacrifices every day. Every time we make a choice – and we make choices every day – we make a sacrifice. We often choose one thing at the cost – or sacrifice – of another. We choose one thing over something else.
Lent is a time of sacrifice.
While most of us will never have to pay the ultimate sacrifice, we all make smaller sacrifices every day.
As we see in the Spider-man II poster above when we choose we also sacrifice. Peter Parker wanted things that Spider-man got in the way of.
Peter Parker sacrificed his will, his own ambition, to serve the people.
Peter sacrificed in order to be the hero.
He gave up his job, his girl, and his grades to fulfill a better, a bigger, calling.
What has God called you to do?
What is God asking you to give up, whether it is for Lent or for your life?
What are you holding on to that you know you should let go of?
What is standing between you and Jesus today, right now?
What do you need to sacrifice in order to obey God better?
This Lent I am straight up fasting. When I fast it is usually for one of two reasons.
- Fasting is a very clear way for me to have self-control. Often, the way I eat indicated my lack of self-control. The less self-control I have the more I eat. Fasting is a way for me to refocus and reboot my will and self-control.
- Fasting makes me trust God. I have a lot of dreams and plans and responsibilities. I work full-time and my wife and I homeschool our kids. In addition to the full-time job I volunteer at my Church and with my son’s Boy Scout troop. In addition to all that I am chasing this dream – Reel Parables. While my job is my current profession, Reel Parables is my passion. The more I have going on the more I try to control it. The more I pursue the less I trust God. Fasting is a way for me to stop trying to control my life and to give it back to God.
Peter Parker, like Jesus, had to sacrifice his own ambition to serve a higher purpose.
Today – this day – what can you give up, what can you sacrifice, in order to serve someone already in your life?
What can you sacrifice to serve your family, your spouse, or your children?
What can you sacrifice to serve your job and co-workers?
This is part of Emptied & Humbled, a movie based Lenten devotional. The whole devotional can be found here.
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Until next time, God bless.
Simon L Smith