Return, Remember, and Follow the King
“Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” Luke 19:37-38
The season of Lent is not merely a religious observance; it is a sacred invitation to return to the heart of God. Throughout Scripture, God repeatedly calls His people back—not simply to rituals or traditions, but to a renewed relationship with Him.
There is an ancient saying among desert monks: “If you wish to see God, first learn to see your own heart.” Lent is precisely that moment in the Christian calendar when we stop running from our hearts and allow God to search them.
King David once prayed in the Book of Psalms 139:23–24, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
That prayer captures the spirit of Lent. It is a season when we invite God to search the hidden corners of our lives—our pride, our distractions, our unconfessed sins, and our spiritual complacency. It is uncomfortable work, yet it is holy work. For the God who searches us is also the God who heals us.
The journey of Lent moves steadily toward the events of Palm Sunday, when Jesus entered Jerusalem. The crowds welcomed Him with palm branches, shouting praises and proclaiming Him as King. Yet the same city that welcomed Him would soon reject Him. The same voices that cried “Hosanna” would later shout “Crucify Him.”
This moment reveals something deeply human about faith. It is easy to celebrate Christ when He blesses us, but it is harder to follow Him when the path leads to the cross.
Palm Sunday reminds us that Jesus did not enter Jerusalem seeking applause. He entered knowing that suffering awaited Him. The road before Him led to betrayal, humiliation, and the cross. Yet He walked it willingly, because love compelled Him.
In this, we see the heart of the Gospel: Christ moves toward the cross so that we might move toward life.
As we continue through this Lenten season, the question is not simply whether we admire Jesus, but whether we are willing to follow Him.
Jesus said in the Gospel of Luke 9:23, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”
To follow Christ means more than attending church or observing traditions. It means surrendering our ambitions, humbling our hearts, and allowing the Spirit of God to reshape our lives.
Lent, therefore, calls us to three deep reflections:
First, remember the cross. The cross reminds us of the seriousness of sin and the greatness of God’s love. Our salvation was not cheap; it was purchased by the sacrifice of Christ.
Second, examine the heart. Lent is a time to ask honest questions: What controls my heart? What habits draw me away from God? Where is Christ calling me to repentance and renewal?
Third, follow the King. The Christian life is not about occasional devotion but daily discipleship. To follow Christ is to walk the narrow road of obedience, trusting that the path of the cross always leads to resurrection.
Later this month, we will gather to celebrate Palm Sunday on 29th March at South Harrow Methodist Church, remembering the King who entered Jerusalem in humility. It will be a sacred moment for us as a congregation to reflect on Christ’s journey toward the cross.
We are also deeply blessed that Bishop Nishantha Fernando will be with us for our fourth Sunday service, bringing encouragement and blessing to our congregation. His presence among us will be a reminder that we are part of a wider body of Christ, united in faith and mission.
As we walk through this month of Lent, may we not rush past the cross too quickly. Let us linger there. Let us allow its message to humble us, cleanse us, and transform us.
For beyond the shadow of the cross lies the dawn of resurrection.
May this Lenten season deepen our faith, renew our devotion, and lead us to follow Christ more faithfully. Amen.
Revd Prasad Vasanthakumar
Minister – LTCC