Preparation

Although our faith community does not expressly and corporately celebrate Lent, this year our family will be doing so. This is not any kind of legalistic ritual for us, but a result of God showing me that my heart and mind need some serious preparing, turning and renewing as we approach this season of remembering Jesus's sacrifice on the cross and celebrating His resurrection. I am a sinner in desperate need of God's grace each day, and observing Lent by taking more time to spend with God in prayer, by "fasting" in areas of our lives in order to better seek Him, and by serving and giving to others is how I believe I can best be drawn closer to Him as I am reminded of my great need and His greater, unmerited grace. Over the next few weeks, I will share on this blog some of the scriptures, prayers, and activities that are going to be a part of our Lent observance. I am sharing these as a source of encouragement for anyone who may read, not as a "look at what we are doing" activity. I pray you will be challenged and encouraged during this season.


The 2 scripture passages we are learning and focusing on during this season of Lent:

"As God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves in compassion, gentleness, humility, kindness, and patience. Bear with one another and forgive whatever grievances you have against one another. Forgive as God forgave you. And above all of these virtues, put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." Colossians 3:12-14
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'Why have we fasted,' they say, 'and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?' 

Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers. Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists. You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high. 

Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, only a day for a man to humble himself? Is it only for bowing one's head like a reed and for lying on sackcloth and ashes? Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the Lord? 

"Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter -- when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not turn away from your own flesh and blood? 

Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard. Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: 

Here am I. 

If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday."

 Isaiah 58:3-10

The prayer that I am adding to my own personal prayers during this first week of Lent:

My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
Nor do I really know myself, 
and the fact that I think that I am following your will 
does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you.
And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.
I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.
And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road,
though I may know nothing about it.
Therefore will I trust you always, 
though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.
I will not fear, for you are ever with me, 
and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.

--Thomas Merton

May God draw you closer to him during this time as we look forward to celebrating Easter. Our Redeemer Lives!


Loving and Learning during Lent,