Lenten Journey 2014: The Tuesday of the first week of Lent

Tomorrow marks a week since I began my Lenten journey. Just the fact that I've almost survived a week is laudable, but in reality it is only the beginning. What I have learned about myself these past six days would be enough to make anyone feel like a piece of dung, but somehow this is different. I feel..... aware. Aware of the fact that I'm nothing but a wretched sinner that justly deserves the wrath of God. But also aware of the fact that Jesus died so that I could be a wretched sinner who receives the grace of God. The fact that I'm a sinner doesn't change in both situations. Simply because Christ is my Lord does not mean I've stopped being a sinner. It simply means that what I receive has changed; in place of wrath, I receive mercy and grace. Martin Luther had a phrase that has been something of utmost wealth to me: Simul iustus et peccator. At the same time just and a sinner. Luther recognized that even in a state of regeneration the believer still lives in the world and still in fact does commit acts of sin. That is something that will never be resolved in this world. While I have this body of flesh, I will still sin. But because of Christ and His sacrifice, I am a saint. In fact, all who are Christian are saints before God. So I am a saint and a sinner. Of course, I don't want to sin. But the realization that when I do fall, Christ is right there to pick me up is something that I absolutely adore with all my heart. It does not give me a license to sin, but the assurance that when I do sin, Christ will not leave me. As always, I ask for you, dear reader, to pray for perseverance for the remainder of these forty days. I want to thank you for putting up with me, and for making it to the end of this post. Whoever you are, and wherever you are, I want to thank you for taking time out of your day to listen to what I have to say.

 Sincerely, a saint and a sinner,

Manny Tovar