Lent

After a stress-filled Ash Wednesday, and leading a small Ash Wednesday gathering for some of our folks last night, I logged in this morning and discovered that one of my old friends has taken up the discipline of writing for Lent. That was inspirational to me, so I have decided to try and follow suit.

I posted a small comment on his blog to commend him for his discipline, and as I was preparing to sign off my comment, I was struck with a thought...what kind of greetings do you bring someone during the season of Lent? It doesn't really seem appropriate to wish someone, "Happy Lent" since this is not really supposed to be a season of joy and frivolity.

I decided to just wish him, "Lenten Blessings" which may seem like a similar moniker to "Happy Lent," but I see it very differently. If we are really willing to embrace the ideas of repentance and discipline during this season, there is a sense in which we can discover blessing in the discipline.

One of the passages we read together last night at the Ash Wednesday Service was from Hebrews 12:1-14. In this text, the writer expresses the sentiment that our Heavenly Father offers us discipline because He loves us as His children. He acknowledges that no discipline is pleasant at the time, but later can be seen as a source of growth and blessing in our lives. Perhaps there is even a way for us to see the beauty and blessing in the midst of Lent, simply because the discipline we may be receiving from our Heavenly Father is coming to us from His pure heart of love for us, His children! What a blessing to be so considered God's child that we are recipients of his discipline!

Lenten Blessings!