Lenten Season!

Easter is my favorite time of year. It speaks of hope and faith. It is a time of renewal and challenge. It was with honor that I was asked to create two writings for my church's Easter devotional. Here is the first of the two:

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Hebrews 11:6 (NIV)

As Lent begins, we, as followers of Christ, overflow with the hope of the resurrection and a renewing of our faith. Have you ever stopped to think how essential faith is to our Christian walk? Not merely the knowledge of Christ; not simply believing in Christ, but I am talking about radically and actively applying faith to our lives. Faith is not only vital to pleasing God; it is the very essence of our relationship with Him.

Many times those of us who call ourselves Christians lack the faith essential to pleasing God. This radical faith allows us to say to God, “Change me. Make me uncomfortable. Cause me to take action. Use me, whatever it takes.” Instead we are content with living a safe-faith, a safe Christian existence where going to church every Sunday and praying before meals is enough. The challenge for Christians today is to step out of the comfort of our “just enough” faith and seek the extreme faith of earnestly seeking God.

This faith is unwavering; it bears its foundation in actively, consistently, and passionately seeking a relationship with Christ. A relationship that demands more than the minimum from us; a faith that requires spending time in His word, in prayer and conforming to His will. This is not a faith of obligation, but an active, vibrant faith we choose because we long to know and please Christ.