Journey to the Cross - Third Sunday

Third Sunday in Lent: Sunday, March 11
Weekly Focus:  PASSION
Featured Writer: Baptist Pastor Julie Pennington-Russell

     Passion is what inescapably drives us to attention, to action.  I love the saying that our calling should be where "our passion meets the world's greatest need".  Passion is what we get "all fired up" about!  God has a passion, too.  His passion is for the renewal of life and reconciliation with all he has created.  JP-R writes, "When a person gets close to the fire of that which drives God, it can set that person aflame."  What a great thought!  To be on fire with God's passion, which can and should create a passion within ourselves.  Can you feel a "holy heat" saturating your body when you spend time in company with God?  


Exodus 20:1-3   "Boundaries"
"I am the Lord your God who brought you out of Egypt, where you were slaves.  Worship no god but me." (TEV) 


In Exodus, with the Ten Commandments, God established boundaries for his people, a basic set of rules as a framework for living in right relationship with God and with each other.  We are free to live outside these limitations, but it will NOT be life to the fullest.  Our parents set boundaries as children, boundaries that said, "I love you enough to make these rules!"  God has done nothing less.  Boundaries are a sign of utmost love.