Lent is here!

Lent has begun! It is a special time of the year for me.  Throughout my childhood, I had never heard of lent…except the lint you find in the dryer filter. Being introduced to it as an adult opened a new way of experiencing Jesus in my life.  It is now one of my favorite seasons of the year! 

Lent is a period of 40 days that begins six and a half weeks before Easter.  It is a time of self-examination, reflection, self-denial, and commitment. Many people choose to give up something for these 40 days.  All of this is done in an effort to draw near to Christ. To refocus on Him.  

Think of it like this: Sometimes when appliances have been functioning a long time, you begin to see little glitches in performance. There is generally a reset procedure to get an appliance working back at optimal performance. This is kind of the way I see Lent. It is a spiritual reset… a going back to where we need to be. It’s an opportunity to eliminate distractions; to “be still” and know that He is God. It is an invitation to prepare our hearts. So that when Resurrection Sunday arrives, the celebration is magnified!

Isaiah 55:7 Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.