Just Thinking ...
How is your Lenten journey progressing? Are you still giving up what you gave up? Are you stilling keeping on with what you took on? Are you looking at yourself and your spiritual life daily? Anyone fasting?
Lent is a time that shares with us a variety of spiritual disciplines to draw us closer to the Cross of Christ. Maybe that is why we don't work really hard at keeping the journey alive and fresh; we don't want to arrive at the Cross. We would rather arrive at Easter, seeing flowers in the sanctuary again and hearing the Hallejuhs once again. At least I know this is part of it for me.
The cross is not a beautiful work of art that is displayed in front of the sanctuary. The cross is a splintered rough wood that is so heavy I stumble more than I move forward. I don't want to fail Jesus Christ with my many faults, issues, or sins. Yet, no matter how hard I try, I fall short of the glory of God. I've not done so well with not saying those harsh words and I've not done a whole lot more with my devotional life. But, I've been busy with doing the work of the DS. I've been busy visiting churches, attending meetings,and fielding phone calls from concerned members. This is holy work, right? I know better, and I hope you do as well.
Being busy is no excuse, just as it is no excuse that we don't necessarily like the cross we are called to lift up. Lent is a time to develop the strength to face the enemy of God and to move God's church forward after the mountain-top of Easter. Lent prepares us if we let it and if we open ourselves fully to the experience.
It is not too late to confess that we have slipped and fallen and to try to keep the Lenten journey going forward. We have a few more weeks. Let's try again and see what develops prior to the Eastertide and the Pentecost to follow. After all, we preach that God is forgiving and faithful; let us believe that and pick up our cross.
Glad to help you with your cross if you help me with mine,
Dana