2021 LENTEN JOURNEY: GOD HAS AN APP FOR THAT!

“Scripture is . . . useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

In 2010, Apple trademarked the phrase “There’s an app for that.” It was meant to call attention to the claim that Apple’s cell phone was superior because it had over 250,000 apps available. “Apps” is short for “applications,” a program that does something on a computer. By 2020, Apple’s online store had 3 million applications.

The concept of receiving help “from above” did not begin with Apple. Ancient people also looked “up” for help. But they weren’t looking to interface with what computer geeks call “the cloud,” but the One whom they thought was seated above the clouds: God. And while their cosmology was wrong, they were right in the fact that we can look “up” to God for help. That is because God Himself has said that He is willing to help us. In Isaiah 41, for instance, God said “Fear not . . . I will help you.” That is because God has a solution for every problem we may face.

But to discover God’s solutions, we need to turn to Him. We need to ask Him to reveal the solution to us. And then we need to let Him bring that solution about. This is what the Apostle James was talking about when He said “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God . . . and it will be given to you.” For that reason, we will be moving through the book of James during Lent this year in an effort to “download” the “wisdom apps” God offers us for some of the difficulties we encounter in life. So, read the book of James through entirely. Then re-read the specific verses listed before each Sunday so you are ready to “download” the “wisdom apps” God wants to give you.

And don’t forget to invite someone else to join you on this Lenten journey so God might help them find solutions they need. The scriptures to read each week are as follows:

For February 17, read James 1:1-12
For February 21, read James 1:13-27
For February 28, read James 2:1-13
For March 7, read James 2:14-26
For March 14, read James 3:1-12
For March 21, read James 3:13-18
For March 28, read James 4:1-12
For April 1, read James 4:13-17
For April 2, read James 5:1-10
For April 4, read the Easter stories