Create in me a
clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away
from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
Restore unto me the
joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
(Psalm 51:10-12
KJV)
On March 1, 2017, Lent started with the observance of Ash
Wednesday. This is a period of time observed
by some Protestant denominations, as well as the Catholic Church. Lent is simply a time of preparation for Easter. “Traditionally, it is a time when Christians
re-examine their spiritual life and try to discern the quality of their
relationship with God. It is a time of
deeper dedication to God and seeking ways in which we can help to further God’s
kingdom on earth.”[1] For more on Ash Wednesday, please click
here: What is Ash Wednesday?
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| Personal Photo |
During this time, some Christians choose to fast for a
particular time or deny themselves a particular food or activity. For example, some choose to fast from sweets,
while others choose to fast from social media.
For some ideas on how to journey through this time, please see: Ideas for journeying through Lent.
For a short video describing Lent and Ash Wednesday please
click here:
Therefore also
now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart,
and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:
And rend your heart,
and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.
(Joel 2:12-13 KJV)
It takes humility to acknowledge this. Just as Jesus was a humble servant; it takes
humility on our part to acknowledge our need for a Savior and to confess and
accept forgiveness for our sins. “Ash
Wednesday emphasizes a dual encounter:
we confront our own mortality and confess our sin before God within the community
of faith.”[2]
Lent is a time of preparation to journey to Jerusalem with Jesus
and His appointment at the cross. It is
a time for us to consider our own life and death, acknowledging that we are
mortal beings and will one day return to the dust from which we were
created. Acknowledging this should be a humbling
experience—we are finite beings, created for relationship with our Creator
through His Son, Jesus Christ. Our souls
are restless until we are united with our Savior, Jesus.
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| Personal Photo |
Trusting God for forgiveness—repenting of your sins and be completely
cleansed from the inside out “declutters” our heart, our inmost being. Allowing the Holy Spirit to convict you of
your sins is part of the process for preparing for Easter.
Taking stock of our life and confessing our sins to God is
something that needs to be done at times other than Easter; something that should
occur daily. The process, while
important, can also be “messy” and a bit painful. However, God is thorough and gentle in the process.
Rend your heart; let God examine it. Confess your sins before God and accept His
wonderful forgiveness and mercy.
Remember that sin weighs us down; confession of sin frees us and
lightens the weight that bogs us down. There
is no need to be depressed about what we have messed up or what we have done;
it is a time to experience the cleansing power of the blood of Jesus’
forgiveness.
What sins do you need to confess?
Create in me a
clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away
from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
Restore unto me the
joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
(Psalm 51:10-12
KJV)
As a part of your preparation process I encourage you to
deeply listen to this worship song by Keith Green. Let the words penetrate deeply into your
heart and spirit. Sing them from your
heart and not your mind to the Lord.
Meditate upon the words. Create in
Me a Clean Heart.
How are you journeying through Lent?
Please join with me in prayer:
Forgiving and Loving God, in humility we recognize that
from dust we came and to dust we will return.
We return to You, turning from our wicked ways—confessing our sins—seeking
Your forgiveness. Thank you for
forgiving our sins, for healing us, and for setting us free. Assist us to accept Your forgiveness and live
as people set free. Create in us a clean
heart—a heart fully and totally devoted to You.
Fill us with a desire for a clean heart.
Thank you for the renewing and refreshing presence of Your Holy Spirit
within us. Prepare us to deeply ponder
all that Jesus did for us on His journey to the cross. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen.
From My Heart to Yours,
Kim
