Thursday, March 4, 2010

Darkness

Today I am struck with the ideas of darkness.

I read this morning about the darkness that comes from our world. I had a friend share about a very dark day in his life yesterday. I was confronted by the darkness of our world that tries to pull us in. I spoke with a woman who was experiencing darkness in her life because of the choices of someone else.

Lent is a season that provides us an opportunity to be very real and honest about the darkness of our lives. It may be day time here right now, but for all of us, whether the sun is out or not, we live in a world of darkness. It surrounds us and permeates many facets of our lives.

Our willingness to be very real and honest with God about the darkness is actually an opportunity to allow Him to shine His light of truth into our darkness. When we bring it before Him, it is immediately overwhelmed by His light. The darkness is pushed back by the Light. We may not be able to ever completely remove ourselves from the darkness in our world, but if we stay close enough to Jesus, we will be able to see well enough to navigate through it!

Lenten Blessings

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Trembling

"Trembling, they said to each other, 'What has God done to us?'" Genesis 42:28c

These words were spoken by Joseph's brothers on their way back home from their first visit to Egypt. They opened their sacks of grain and found their money back in the top of their bags.

What a great thought for Lent! As we come before God in humility and repentance, and we recognize our desperate condition before Him, we cry out.

"Trembling, they said to each other, 'What has God done to us?'"

Lenten Blessings

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Lenten Hope

So as I am reading todays Lent readings from the lectionary earlier this morning and have this strange realization come over me - hope is rising within me! Hope. Really?!

This is Lent. This is not a season of hope. Lent is about sorrow, repentance, recognition of our sinfulness. Hope? I don't think so.

Advent is the season of hope. A time to look forward, to anticipate what's coming, to think about all the hope that is coming in Messiah. Big broad, sweeping strokes of hope, that Advent!

So what is this thin, ray of hope that seems to be forcing it's way into the front of my heart and mind?

And then I realize there is another word that seems to be emerging beside this hope - only. Several of the texts convey the idea that our "only hope"is in God. "We have no other hope, but You." That's when it occurs to me, when we are willing to recognize our unworthiness before God, when we are repentant and willing to admit our utter sinfulness before the Lord, we come to realize that our only hope is in Him. The only hope we have for our condition of utter contempt is to place our lives in the hands of God and His son hanging on a cross.

May Lenten hope rise!

Lenten Blessings