March 4, 2018 Reviving the Soul
“The heavens declare the glory of God and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.” – Psalm 19:1
We have a lot of beautiful sunrises and sunsets here in the valley. On a clear night, as I walk my dog, I often look up at the stars and the ever-changing moon and wandering planets. Those moments, reveling in the beauty of the sky above, give me more understanding of the first verse of Psalm 19 than any Bible commentary can possible provide.
We need to take care during the season of Lent not to spend so much time with our heads bent down in self-examination that we fail to raise our eyes to the heavens and behold the glory of God. Lent is not a time for our souls to be weighed down – it’s a season for our souls to be revived, renewed, and transformed. I hope you are spending time each day experiencing the joy of the Lord in creation, in His Word, and in the presence of His Spirit.
THE SEASON OF LENT
Lent is a season of forty days, not counting Sundays, which begins this year on Ash Wednesday (Feb. 14th) and ends on Holy Saturday (March 31st). Lent comes from the Anglo Saxon word lencten, which means “spring.” The forty days represents the time Jesus spent in the wilderness, enduring the temptation of Satan and preparing to begin his ministry.
Lent is a time of repentance, fasting and preparation for the coming of Easter. It is a time of self-examination and reflection. In the early church, Lent was a time to prepare new converts for baptism. Today, Christians focus on their relationship with God, often choosing to give up something or to volunteer and give of themselves for others.
Sundays in Lent are not counted in the forty days because each Sunday represents a “mini-Easter” and the reverent spirit of Lent is tempered with joyful anticipation of the Resurrection. (from umc.org)
In Christ’s Grace and Peace,
Pastor Bob
Psalm 19