Facing Mortality, Embracing New Life

Psalm 32

• Summary: David rejoices in the forgiveness of sin, acknowledging that confession leads to freedom and restoration with God.
• Key Thought: When we acknowledge our sins before God, we are met with mercy, not condemnation, and are given new life in Christ.

Joshua 4:1-13

• Summary: After crossing the Jordan River, the Israelites set up twelve stones as a memorial to God’s faithfulness in bringing them into the Promised Land.
• Key Thought: God calls us to remember His faithfulness, even as we face trials and uncertainties in life and death.

2 Corinthians 4:16-5:5

• Summary: Paul encourages believers not to lose heart, for even though our outer selves are wasting away, we are being renewed inwardly, with the promise of an eternal home with God.
• Key Thought: Our earthly lives are temporary, but God has prepared something greater—an eternal dwelling in God’s presence.

Life constantly reminds us of our mortality. Whether in times of war, adventure, illness, or personal failure, we are confronted with the limits of our existence. Psalm 32 reveals that sin leads to spiritual death, but God, in God’s mercy, offers restoration when we confess and turn back to God. Just as David found renewal after confronting his sin, so too are we invited in this Lenten season to face our own failures, trusting that God’s forgiveness leads to new life. As the German theologian Friedrich Schleiermacher wrote, “Sin is not merely a single act, but a state of being estranged from God.” Yet, in God’s grace, we are invited out of this estrangement into a restored relationship.
​
Joshua 4 reminds us that God’s faithfulness extends beyond our personal struggles to the larger journey of His people. The twelve stones at the Jordan River served as a reminder that God was with the Israelites, leading them to a new life in the Promised Land. These stones tell us that, even in moments of danger and uncertainty, God is present. Just as the Israelites crossed the Jordan in faith, we, too, are called to trust that even when we face the final boundary—death itself—God has prepared a place for us beyond it.

Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians assure us that though our physical bodies are fragile, we are being inwardly renewed. He speaks of a heavenly dwelling, a house not made with human hands but eternal in the heavens. This is the promise that allows us to live without fear of death. Just as God gives new life after sin, God also gives new life after death. The consequence of sin is mortality, but the gift of God is eternity. Schleiermacher also wrote, “The essence of faith is the feeling of absolute dependence on God.” This is the invitation of Lent—to recognize our complete dependence on God’s grace, both in this life and in the life to come.

This Lenten season, we are reminded to confront our mortality, but we do so with hope. We face our sins knowing that forgiveness is offered, and we face death knowing that life awaits us on the other side. Whether we encounter our mortality in the wilderness, in battle, in adventure, or in the quiet recognition of our own fragility, we can trust that God’s love sustains us. We do not lose heart because the One who forgives our sins is the same One who promises us eternal life.

Prayer
God of mercy and life, we come before You, acknowledging our sin and our mortality. In this season of Lent, help us to trust in Your promise of renewal. When we fall short, grant us the courage to seek Your forgiveness. When we face the reality of death, remind us of the eternal home You have prepared for us. May we walk in faith, knowing that neither sin nor death can separate us from Your love. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Reflection Question
How does facing your own mortality deepen your trust in God’s promise of new life?