Lent
Lent is a tradition practiced by the church for centuries as a way to prepare for Easter. It begins on Ash Wednesday and spans 40 days culminating on Easter Sunday. It is a time to fix our eyes upon Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith. Let me encourage us to be intentional as we ponder who Jesus is and what He has done for us. Yes, how good it is to do this every day. And how instructive it is for us to have a time in our calendar each year to remind us of its importance. Let me highlight three important aspects of preparing for Easter during Lent.
The first is to reflect. As we set our gaze upon Jesus we spend moments in self-reflection. King David provides an example of this in Psalm 139. As we experience who the Lord is in our relationship we gain a deeper understanding of who we are. The Holy Spirit opens our eyes to how we have been living. And this doesn’t merely regard our actions, as important as they are. The Holy Spirit convicts us of our inner life. He exposes the regions of our heart that is invisible to those around us. May Lent be a time for difficult yet blessed self-examination.
The second is to repent. This means to change directions from sin to righteousness. And we do so by the godly grief that results from the gospel of Jesus (2 Cor. 7:10). Jesus paid for our sin by His grace. Therefore, the pain that we feel for turning from Him is covered by His love shown to us on the cross and enables us to stand again. The time we spend in reflection naturally leads to times of repentance. May Lent be a time of ample repentance as we seek to deny ourselves, carry our cross daily and follow Jesus.
The third and final highlight is to experience renewal. As we reflect on our lives and continually repent, we experience the renewal of our mind as we walk in step with the Holy Spirit. Sin leads to slavery resulting in death. Righteousness leads to slavery to Christ which leads to abundant life (Rom. 6:22). May we experience renewal of Jesus in a powerful way as we set our eyes upon Jesus and contemplate His gospel for us. Jesus is victorious against sin and death. And we share in His victory by His grace through faith in Him. There is no greater news. Be blessed as you walk in this season of Lent. And be a blessing to others for the glory of God.