Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 ESV
Rejoicing, praying, and giving thanks put the circumstances of our lives, both good and bad into God’s hands and help us see them through His eyes. Last night our beloved daughter-in-law Melinda slipped from this world into the presence of Jesus. And while we are overwhelmed with grief and shock, these words are promises to which we cling. Melinda has finished her race. Her battle with cancer is finished. And while that pernicious disease claimed her physical life, it could not touch her soul. That remained fully and exclusively in the hands of Jesus with whom she now lives. Nancy and I didn’t know how to process the news that came in three words. “She is gone.” Yet as sadness rolls over my heart I sense the message echo back from Heaven, ” She has arrived!”
With next Wednesday being Ash Wednesday, I thought it might be a good time to talk about Lent. Some Christians observe Lent every year, while others simply look on with curiosity. But very few of us actually know where the whole idea came from. So, you might ask, “What exactly is Lent?” That is a great question with more than one answer! The observance of Lent began sometime in the fourth century and in general, is a period of time from Ash Wednesday till Easter. The concept of forty days is meant to mirror the time Jesus spent fasting in the wilderness. However, if you counted the days from Ash Wednesday to Easter, you would discover that there are actually forty-seven in all. The number of forty is arrived at by subtracting the Sundays and ending on the Wednesday of Holy week.
But, instead of getting lost in the math, think of Lent as a time to spiritually prepare for Easter. Some of us do this by abstaining from certain foods or activities others by committing to helping those in need. Though there is no requirement in the Bible for observing Lent, there is also nothing forbidding it. After all, it is never a bad idea to set aside time for seeking God’s will and purpose. The Bible calls times like these, “Waiting on the Lord.” This waiting is not about traditions but about hearts. When we wait God’s way, God promises to give us His strength and renewal. However, you choose to prepare for the Easter season, the most important thing is to focus on Jesus. For me personally Easter brings back the excitement of my coming to faith in Jesus on Easter Sunday! So, during Lent, I come to each morning, asking Jesus for a brand-new insight into His word and His will. Walking with Jesus will lead us along the path that He has chosen and following His path will lead us to the destination He has for our lives. My prayer is that together during Lent, we may remember again the miracles of Jesus, the Last Supper, His sacrifice of His life on the Cross, and most of all, meet with our Risen Lord as Mary did, right outside the empty tomb!
If you would like a devotional to help you along your own Lenten journey, you might consider a book which I wrote a few years ago, titled, “The Joy of Easter.” In this Lenten reader you will find meditations for the entire forty-seven-day period from Ash Wednesday till Easter Sunday. Each day includes a verse and short, simple devotional. The Joy of Easter is available both in an e-Book format as well as a large print paperback.
“Don’t you like the window that we just installed?” He asked when he saw that she wasn’t enthralled “But Gramma the level was perfect” he said But she was certain still shaking her head
“It’s the eye of the artist,” she replied with a grin So he went to the window to check it again Then sure as the sun sets each day in the West His level confirmed it was low on the left
Now, twenty years later I recall with a smile That the work that we did was still off by a mile We just didn’t notice the sag of the sash But the eye of the artist saw all in a flash
And the Artist of Heaven, left His throne room above To come to my window and fix it with love For the eye of the artist sees beyond who I am Then He lifts me up by the blood of the Lamb
For the Son of man came to seek and save the lost. Luke 19:10 NLT
There is no one like the God of Israel. He rides across the heavens to help you, across the skies in majestic splendor. The eternal God is your refuge, and his everlastingarms are under you. Deuteronomy 33:26-27a NLT
When our grandchildren were small, we used to bring them to church. Often, my wife would be up front with the worship team, which left me (Poppy) alone in the pew with a two-year old and a four-year old. Now the older boy was quite content to sit quietly during the song service, but the younger one wanted to see what was going on, especially since Nana was up on the altar singing with other people. So that meant Poppy had to pick him and hold him so that he could look over the adults’ heads. While rocking him back and forth in time to the music was kind of cute for the first song, by the second number that little tyke felt like he weighed a hundred pounds! What a blessing it was when one of the ladies sitting nearby would offer to hold onto him for a while! Whenever I sing this little chorus about God’s everlasting arms, I think back to those times. God offers to pick us up, to carry us and to hold us close. He never gets tired or hopes to pawn us off on somebody else. God has promised, that if we trust in Him, then He will carry us keep us forever in His arms!
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