Showing Jesus your appreciation

Forgive as the Lord forgave you (Colossians 3:13).

Jesus has done so much for us; He suffered incredibly to pay off the debt of our sins and free us from the devil’s control. Thanks to Christ, we can be rid of guilt over our mistakes and spend eternity with God in a place where everything is perfect. We owe Jesus a debt of gratitude that can never be repaid.

But while we cannot repay the Son of God for all that He’s done, we can still show Him our respect and appreciation. The season of Lent urges us to think about all that Christ endured as our Savior, and how we can express our thanks to Him.

Many people give up something for Lent—it might be a favorite food or a favorite activity. It might involve cutting back on other things so that more time or money can be donated to the Church. Some people sacrifice during Lent as a way to show Jesus that they appreciate His sacrifice for us on the cross. Others give up pleasant diversions so they can focus more intently on their relationship with God’s Son.

But there are other ways to show Christ respect. The Savior died to repair damaged relationships. Since Jesus has torn away the sin separating us from God, we can honor His sacrifice by prayer and worship. Good communication is vital to any relationship. In worship, we hear God’s Word from the pages of the Bible. Prayer is how we respond to God’s message. Gathering for worship also gives us opportunities to communicate with each other. Prayer and worship allow us to experience the benefits of Jesus’ suffering and death, honoring His incredible sacrifice for us.

But the best way to thank Christ for all that He’s done is to embrace forgiveness every day of your life. Jesus died to make forgiveness available to you. That sacrifice is wasted if you do not admit to your faults and ask to be forgiven. That sacrifice is ignored when you are unwilling to forgive, or attach conditions to reconciliation. Jesus died for you, for me, for everyone—His mercy is offered to all with only one string attached—believe in Him alone as the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). If you want to honor Jesus’ sacrifice, forgive as the Lord forgave you.