CCOG Newsletter

Last week began the season of Lent. On Wednesday, believers from different denominations went to church to have ashes placed on their foreheads in the sign of the cross. Do you know why? The ashes symbolize repentance and mortality. In the Old Testament, people would show their grief by putting on sackcloth and ashes. Also, we have heard the phrase "ashes to ashes, dust to dust" quoted at funerals to verbalize how fleeting life can be.

While we do not, in our denomination, typically participate in Ash Wednesday rituals, we are still invited to contemplate our need for repentance and the shortness of our earthly time. If you have decided to fast something for Lent (the 6 week period before Easter), do so with a view toward the cross. Because of what Jesus did on the cross, forgiveness and eternal life are available to us. The symbolism of the ashes can also remind us that because of the sacrifice of Jesus, we are able to exchange our ashes of sin and sadness for the beauty of a redeemed life.

“Love is patient and kind.” 1 Corinthians 13:4a ESV

Love is patient. I believe there is a reason Paul put this first. Patience is one of the most challenging principles to apply because many times, you don’t have control over how long you will be waiting. The only thing you can control is HOW you wait. You wait with kindness. Waiting without kindness is not patience, it’s just you waiting. It's not the same as patience.

Have you ever heard someone yelling, “Are you ready yet?” Or maybe you heard someone say, “What’s taking so long?” Maybe that someone was you or someone was asking you those things. Whoever is saying it is waiting and, to a certain extent, being patient because at least they are still waiting. However, those questions don’t exactly exude kindness.

Now, if someone was to come up to where you are and say, “Hey, are you OK? This is just taking longer than I expected, so I just wanted to verify everything was OK.” This is a statement of patience and kindness, and it comes from the heart.

You Can Make An Adjustment To Be Patient AND Kind

I remember years ago when I was waiting for someone to go to dinner and I had the chance to put this into practice. This was something that was announced months in advance and with plenty of prep time. However, when that night came, some things happened, and I had to wait for this person a lot longer than either of us planned. I had a choice to make.

I am a person who is rarely late, so there was a part of me wondering what was going on. However, I knew I needed to be patient and kind, so I adjusted. I made the adjustment, not only in my head but in my heart. When I adjusted, my actions were real and genuine.

Today, make sure to be patient and kind when you are tempted to be impatient and rude. Walking in love is always the best option.

Confession Today:

“Because love is patient and kind, I will be patient and kind. When tempted to act another way, I will make the adjustment in my heart to be patient and kind. I can do it because God has equipped me to do it. I am patient, and I am kind.”