Lent Devotional: OpenSample

Day one – Ash Wednesday – ‘Believing in change’

Is change possible? Can our circumstances change? Can we ourselves change? Can the world change?

Jesus repeats the above call to action from John the Baptist at the start of his ministry (Matthew 4:17). The word ‘repent’ is, in the original Greek, metanoeó. It literally means to change one's mind, purpose, or inner self.

Jesus believed in change. He called us to it. ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Or, to paraphrase: ‘Things don’t have to be this way; Spirit is here – God is on the move.’

Despair says, ‘things will always be this way’; faith is open to the possible.

This is why Tearfund believes practical support must go hand in hand with the spiritual. If a community believes it is stuck, then stuck it will be. But if a community begins to believe in change, then change will not be far behind.

Jesus, Saviour, Healer, Transformer – thank you that your kingdom is at hand. Keep us from despair; open our hearts to the possible. Help us to play our part in the transformation of this world. Amen.

Gideon Heugh