March 11, 2025 – Daily Devotional
When I began to write this devotional, I wasn’t sure what to write it about and was just staring at a blank page. So I decided to get some inspiration from some of the most reliable people I know: the 4th and 5th grade Sunday School class. They never let me down when I need to get an idea moving or when I need to be humbled. They’re very good at both!
When we began talking about Lent and what it meant to us as Christians, they had some good comments and questions. The first was, “Lent? Like the stuff in your pockets?” But once we got that squared away, the helpful questions and comments started flowing!
We all could agree that 40 days is a long time, and we’d rather spend 40 days getting closer to God in the comfort of our own home than on a boat full of stinky animals like Noah, or in the desert with no food or water like Jesus. Once we really looked at it, 40 days didn’t seem that long! We discussed the differences between Good Friday and Black Friday, and they believe the two names should be swapped!
We talked about some things we could give up to help us grow closer to God. Once they realized they were supposed to give something up for that period of time, ideas started flowing; “I could give up talking to my sister. I could give up eating vegetables. I could quit taking showers!” But then I explained that it’s not just about giving up something, but it’s about giving up something that would be an actual sacrifice to you. Think of something that would interrupt your everyday life and help you put your focus on God. You can’t just give up broccoli and call it a day! There can be no loophole when getting closer to God. You have to put in the work, just like in any relationship.
Once we all agreed that everyone needs to be kind to their siblings, eat their veggies, and shower, we began the real conversation of what would be actual sacrifices in our lives. We know Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice for us, and now we can show our love for Him by giving up something that now seems extremely small in comparison.
We all agreed that 40 days without something you’re accustomed to having or doing can seem kind of scary and difficult. If you need an accountability partner, just tell a child. I promise you they won’t let you forget!!
Taylor Easttom, Downtown Campus Director of Children’s Ministries
—– Easter Offering —–
Lent is the 40 days (not including Sundays) before Easter and serves as a time of preparation for the celebration of the Resurrection. In the early church, Easter Sunday was the time for anyone entering the church to be baptized, so Lent became a time for baptismal prospects to fast and pray to prepare themselves
for their Easter baptism.
Lent remains the holy season of preparation wherein people practice spiritual disciplines to develop a deeper understanding and appreciation of the love Jesus displayed through the Crucifixion and Resurrection.
This everlasting love of Christ offers us the gift of salvation; salvation is life lived with God here and now and forevermore. We have so much for which to give thanks and celebrate. One of the ways we express our gratitude to God is through our gifts to the church to support the missions and ministries of St. Luke’s. For more than 30 years, St. Luke’s has taken up an additional offering during Lent, called the Easter Offering, as an act of thanksgiving for the love that Jesus has given to the world through the Crucifixion and Resurrection.
Since this is a gift that is completely for missions, we hope each and every person and family can make this a second-mile gift beyond their gifts for the operations and ministries of the church. When we all do something, it becomes larger than any one of us can do alone.
100% of the Easter Offering goes to support the missions of St. Luke’s and the many different missional programs we support. Every year, a few of these ministries are highlighted so we can hear how our gifts go to transforming lives. This year, we will look at El Sistema Oklahoma, Cleats 4 Kids, Skyline Ministries, Music Education at St. Mark’s Methodist Church in Kisumu, Kenya, and Neighborhood Services Organization.
When we support the Easter Offering, we become a part of all of these incredible ministries. If each of us will do what we can, it will be a gift to God and transform lives through the many mission programs.
Donation envelopes are available during worship. Gifts may also be made by calling the Finance Office at 232-1371, by texting “STL EASTER” to 73256, or online by using the link below. All donations are tax deductible.
https://secure.accessacs.com/access/oglogin.aspx?sn=167551&f=5
