Out of the Whirlwind
Blog by John Burton
Lent Coming Like 18-wheeler In Rear View Mirror
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By John Burton on 02/20/2012 |
As you drive down the highway of life, take a look in your rearview mirror. The lights you see are those of a big ole 18-wheeler doing 90 mph and closing on your back bumper like a lion on a wart hog. Relax. The 18-wheeler is symbolic. It is symbolic of Lent which is fast approaching. So let me get ahead of that semi and say a word or two about Lent.
Lent is a season of repentance and spiritual preparation that comes before Easter. It operates out of the idea that maybe, just maybe as we wouldn’t want to come to Easter services in nasty, unwashed, ratty clothing (assuming we had a choice) so we would not come to Easter with a nasty, unwashed, slime fill, corrupted heart or mind or spirit! Lent is a time to get out the soap and water and do some spiritual laundry!
How does one go about that? Well, there are three ways I would like to suggest. First is prayer. Get on your knees and make sure you are on a first-name basis with God. Second is giving up things that are bad for you. This is old-school Lenten discipline. Give up: cussing, lying, overeating, yelling at people on the highway, gossiping, etc… The third is taking on things that are good for you and others. Taking on a weekly donation to Our Daily Bread, visiting homebound friends, praying for people, attending worship/Sunday School, etc…
No one is asking you to become a monk. Just try doing something that might fit on each list – some prayer, some self-discipline, and some generosity. You might be amazed at what a little effort might do for you! And then you can come to Easter with your head held high and belt out our great Easter hymns.
The first step on the road of Lent is Ash Wednesday, which is simply the first day of Lent. We observe Ash Wednesday by worshipping with our brothers and sisters in Christ from Holy Trinity Presbyterian Church. I won’t actually have a starter’s pistol but you can think of this as the beginning of the race to Easter. Just remember, even if you choose to walk not run Easter will still come and sooner than you may think.
This Ask Wednesday, February 22, we have invited the folks of Trinity Presbyterian Church to join us for Wednesday Night Live Dinner and then to worship together in our sanctuary at 7:00 p.m. Rev. Craig Hunter of Trinity Presbyterian will bring the evening message. I hope you will come and maybe even offer to help the cooks have enough food for the extra large crowd. We don’t want the Presbyterians to go hungry!!
February 26 is the first Sunday in Lent. In worship I will give you the first of several sermons that center on the common theme of “covenant.” The first sermon is from Genesis 9: 8-17. It has to do with the covenant that God made with Noah. I hope you will join us in worship as we begin the Lenten season and the march toward Easter.
