Lent – February 18, 2024

Some believe Lent is legalistic or object that the Bible doesn’t teach us about Lent. The book I mentioned on Ash Wednesday by Esau McCaulley addresses these objections. Dr. McCaulley makes the following statement that reflects why I have been observing some kind of Lenten observance for the last few years:

“Lent is not about endless repetition of the fact that we are sinners.Instead, it offers us over and over the chance to see the beauty of life with God, a beauty that has been obscured by a multitude of compromises. Lent is a quieting of the soul and a lessening of the distractions so we can again hear the voice of God”

Esau McCaulley

I’m not Episcopalian or Anglican, but the BCP is a great source that includes prayers and traditional readings for the entire year. When we pray these kinds of prayers or listen to the listed readings, we join a wider community with the same prayer. We reflect on the same Scriptures. We join believers across time and space in seeking God and hearing His word.

Here is the contemporary version of this Sunday’s collect (prayer) from the Book of Common Prayer:

Almighty God, whose blessed Son was led by the Spirit to be
tempted by Satan: Come quickly to help us who are assaulted
by many temptations; and, as you know the weaknesses of
each of us, let each one find you mighty to save; through
Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with
you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

The Psalm reading for today is from Psalm 25.

⁴ Show me your ways, Lord, 
teach me your paths. 
⁵ Guide me in your truth and teach me, 
for you are God my Savior, 
and my hope is in you all day long. 
⁶ Remember, Lord, your great mercy and love, 
for they are from of old. 
⁷ Do not remember the sins of my youth 
and my rebellious ways; 
according to your love remember me, 
for you, Lord, are good. 
⁸ Good and upright is the Lord; 
therefore he instructs sinners in his ways. 
⁹ He guides the humble in what is right 
and teaches them his way. 
¹⁰ All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful 
toward those who keep the demands of his covenant. 

Ps 25:4-10

I am praying these verses today. I’m using verses 4-7 as part of a personal confession and then expressing praise with verses 8-10. Will you join me?

I’ll leave you with a closing thought from Dr. McCaulley:

If our hearts are fixed on the God who does not change, we can locate a joy that will never be taken from us. God gives us the only joy that endures.

May you find joy and freedom in confessing your need for our loving Savior!

Image by Gini George from Pixabay

© 2019-2024 Jennifer Brown Jones