Friday of the First Week of Lent - March 14

Ezekiel 18:21-28 Matthew 5:20-26

Today's scripture reminded me of a scene from Ted Lasso, a television show about an optimistic, cheerful soccer coach who gets the best out of his players using his funny, optimistic and quirky personality. In that iconic scene, Ted tells one of his players to be a goldfish. He explains that the goldfish is the "happiest animal on earth...because it has a ten second memory."

Similarly, today's scripture reminds us not to be anxious about the past. Rather, we must believe that God has a short memory and is willing to forgive our transgressions. We must move forward from those mistakes with intention, righteousness and belief that they have been forgiven. "None of the crimes he committed shall be remembered against him; he shall live because of the virtue he has practiced."

This reading provides great hope that God only sees the current version of us. He will not dwell on our past shortcomings, or the times that our relationship with Him was lacking. Instead, what matters most to God is how we relate to Him now. As a result, we should constantly strive to deepen our connection to God.

The choice to make the right decisions lies within us. During this Lenten season, I encourage you to be a "goldfish" - to not dwell on things in the past you wish you did differently. Instead, I encourage you to focus on the present and make efforts to deepen your relationship with God.

Q: What will I do today to bring me closer to God?

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