Greetings tp you in the marvelous name of Jesus Christ – THE Risen Savior…and welcome to the adventure of the Lenten journey! What a beautiful winter morning to begin our 40 day (actually 46 as Sundays don’t count) trip to Easter! We re-affirm the declaration – “this is the day that the Lord has made – we will rejoice and be glad in it!” This morning I will be praying for you, asking the Father to listen to our cry -“Open our eyes Lord, we want to see Jesus-To reach out and touch Him-And say that we love Him!”…may you feel his healing touch…may you experience His provision…may you know His amazing grace.
“Lenten”, I discovered, comes from the word that means to “lengthen” and as such it suggests that as Spring and the daily amount of sunlight – ‘lengthens’ – the time of darkness shortens, loses its power. In a spiritual sense, as we become more influenced by the coming of the Light at Resurrection, the power of darkness loses its hold on our lives, So Lent becomes a journey towards the light of the Risen Christ.
If we are going to go on a journey we need to prepare and on Ash Wednesday it is a tradition to begin with focusing on our humanity and the brevity of life…at a Ash Wednesday service individuals have a cross painted on their foreheads with the words – “remember you came from dust and to dust you will return” – pronounced. Then the words of Psalm 51 are read to remind us of our sinful nature and God’s great forgiveness..
There are two very important gifts that we are given at the beginning of Lent that will make the journey significant and memorable. First, we receive the gift of the knowledge of our sin…what a startling and humbling experience. Second, we receive the gift of knowing there is a ready, willing, and more than capable Savior waiting for us. Over the past year now, on a daily basis I have been affirming that there is a “balm in Gilead” – Jesus Christ who is the medicine that can bring wholeness to my body-mind-soul-spirit. I am heading towards Easter to experience once again the healing touch of Christ that radiates from a torn veil, an old rugged cross, and an empty tomb. Are you ready to go with me?
Something to ponder this morning – have a blessed day