Today
is Ash Wednesday--the first day of the Lenten Season. The journey to the
Resurrection Celebration begins today. We won't have a service at my
church that includes ashes on our foreheads, but each of us might want to take
time for a "searching of our hearts" with the help of the Holy Spirit.
The
early church--at least as far back as 200 A.D.--recognized the benefit of
setting apart a time in the church year for The Three "R's."
Reflection. Repentance. Renewal.
I
invite you to join me in the journey. During these 40 days of the Lenten
Season, let's allow God to work in our lives through the traditions of Lent:
fasting, prayer, almsgiving, and Scripture reading. Let's spend the first
few days of the season searching our hearts, repenting of our sins and
forgiving those who have sinned against us. The process requires thought,
time and enough quiet to listen for the Holy Spirit's "still small
voice."
Psalm
139:23-4 offers us a good beginning prayer:
Search
me, O God, and know my heart!
Try me
and know my thoughts!
