Lent is almost here! Can you believe it? I can’t. I’m usually glad when winter moves quickly through to spring, but this seems very quick to me this year. None-the-less, here we are. Lent officially begins on Wednesday, February 22. We WILL have a worship service of ashes at 7:00.
And then we delve into this year’s Lenten journey. Since we have been discussing “God’s True Love,” the Holy Spirit led me to Jeremiah 31. Since our capability for true love stems from the condition of our heart, perhaps we should consider that condition and where our hearts need repair.
We will use Jeremiah 31:33 as our compass point, “I will put my law within them, and I will write it upon their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” We will begin with a diagnosis of our sinful hearts, God’s covenant promise to restore our hearts, to the prognosis of a sinful heart, to God’s surgical renewal of our spiritual heart, and then culminate in Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem.
Lent is intended to draw us into a contemplative spirit. This is the time each year when we look introspectively at where we fall short of being who we were created to be. You may choose to give up something for the period of Lent as an expression of sacrifice. Or, you may choose to express your devotion another way. In any case, this is an intentional time of reflection and repair. It’s a time for personal honesty, getting real with our shortcomings, and doing something about it.
Lent is a personal journey, but it is also a fellowship journey. We are all in this together. Because we are one body in Christ, we do not have to go through this journey alone. Begin to prepare your heart for this Lenten season of introspection. And get ready to restore your heart.
First Congregational Community Church of Roscoe 