Best Lent Ever is made possible by viewers like you.

Thank you.

You're awesome.

Okay. And then go.

Wonder opens our hearts too.

The gift of life.

God at work.

Amazing possibilities.

Don't let the world steal your wonder.

To be human is to need. And the Israelites knew this all too well. Newly freed from slavery in Egypt, they found themselves wandering through the wilderness. They were hungry. They were tired, afraid, and uncertain. Slavery was brutal, but even as slaves, there was routine and a predictability to each day. Now they were free, but that freedom was terrifying. They needed food, water, shelter, and ideally a clear path to the promised land. But looking around, nothing was readily available. Almost immediately, the Israelites began to grumble and complain. It would be so easy to judge them. After all, they had witnessed the plagues, the Passover, the parting of the Red Sea. God had defeated the most powerful empire on earth to rescue them, and now they doubted Him because they were hungry. But before we judge them, and before we judge them too harshly, we should pause and ask ourselves an uncomfortable question, "How often do we do exactly the same thing?" The Israelites' hunger was real. Their fear was real. Their need was real. And in that place of real need, God revealed something essential about who He is. "I will now rain down bread from heaven for you," God told Moses. Each morning, when the Israelites awoke, the ground was covered with a fine substance like frost. They looked at it and asked one another, "What is it?" The phrase in Hebrew translates to manna. This manna was bred from heaven. God instructed them to gather only enough for that day. No hoarding, no stockpiling, no backup plan. If they tried to save it for tomorrow, it's spoiled. The message was clear. "Trust me with all your needs. I will provide." For 40 years, God fed His people this way. They were totally dependent on God.

We struggle with this too. We like to believe we are independent, capable, in control. We plan, save, strategize, ensure, and secure ourselves against every imaginable risk. None of these things are bad, but slowly, subtly, they can convince us that we aren't totally dependent on God, or worse yet, that we don't really need God, until something goes wrong. A diagnosis, a job loss, a broken heart, a broken relationship, a grief we didn't see coming, a loneliness we can't fix, a betrayal, suddenly, our carefully constructed illusion of self sufficiency collapses, and we are reminded often painfully just how needy we are. This has perhaps never been more eloquently expressed than by St. Paul in his speech to the Athenians For it is in him that we live and move and have our being. This beautiful passage presents the proximity of God. It's not a distant and anonymous God, but near and present. It also demonstrates our complete and utter reliance on Him. We are quick to forget our immense need. We are quick to forget our total dependence on God. We are quick to forget God in general. But if God forgot us, even for a nanosecond, we would cease to exist. For it is in Him that we live and move and have our being. This is the very definition of need, but we forget how dependent we are. The manor in the desert teaches us that God does not always provide in advance. He provides on time, daily, faithfully, and often in ways that stretch out trust.

What needs do you have today? How have you tried to meet those needs without God? What has stopped you from bringing those needs and laying them at His feet in prayer? You are wonderfully made. You are created on purpose and for a purpose. And your needs are one of the powerful ways that God wants to reveal His providence, His miraculous, wonderful, grace-giving providence. The only question is, are you ready to receive it?

Trust.

Surrender.

Believe.

Receive.

God doesn't need your strength.

He wants your surrender.

So what is today's lesson? God often meets us in our need. Our needs are an invitation to trust God. Like the Israelites, we are asked to rely on God, not once and for all, but daily. When we bring our real and present needs to God, rather than trying to manage them all alone, we begin to see His faithful provision at work in our lives. What is the virtue of the day? Receptivity. The virtue of receptivity involves opening our hearts, minds, bodies, and souls completely to God and allowing Him to work unimpeded on our souls and in our lives. Speaking of trust, and speaking of surrender, and speaking of believing and receiving, have you taken The Surrender Assessment yet? It is astounding. I'm telling you, this thing will change your life. It will change your relationship with God. It is one of the most powerful spiritual tools I have seen in 30 years of ministry. Click the button below. It's free. Take The Surrender Assessment today. God bless you. Have a great day. Remember, do not just be yourself. Be the-very-best-version-of-yourself, all that God created you to be.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, amen.

God of miracles, wonders, and grace.

I thank you for all the good you have done in my life.

For the miracles I recognize—

And the many graces I so often overlook.

I open my heart completely to you today—

Inviting you to completely inhabit my soul—

So that through me—

Others may encounter your love—

Your mercy—

Your compassion—

Your kindness—

And your staggering generosity. Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Don't let the world steal your wonder. See you tomorrow.

See you tomorrow.

Have a great day.

Have a great day!