rediscover

As I have reflected on Lent and taking time to remember what Easter is really about, I've had one song running through my head. The lyrics stuck with me the first time I heard the song and have continued to be words that have meaning for me.

Let Me Rediscover You - by Downhere



It's particularly the words to the chorus that have come to reflect what I want for these coming weeks in particular.

How can I say I know you?

When what I know is still so small

Let me rediscover you

And breathe in me your life anew

Tell me of the God I never knew

Let me rediscover you

Let me rediscover you

Tell me of the God I thought I knew

Jesus, let me rediscover you

That is the cry of my heart right now. Taking the time out in this season to spend with God and to seek to know Him better - to rediscover God and who He really is. That is my prayer for you as well.

Lent

Until about five or six year ago, the season of Lent passed for me without so much as a second thought. I'd never really heard about it or studies more of what it was. It seems like in the last few years, it is something that has gained more popularity (for lack of a better term) in evangelical churches in North America. And I think that's a good thing. (It's my opinion that it's a good thing. I know others disagree with that. I'm not here to argue whether we should or should not observe it.)

Growing up Good Friday and Easter were always important. I knew why we took the time we did on that weekend and I looked forward to them. But I often felt like they kind of snuck up on me. I'd be going through life and then all of a sudden it was Palm Sunday, which meant that the next weekend was Easter. I sometimes felt like I needed more time to reflect on things, and to find myself in a place where I could really celebrate the resurrection and the empty tomb on Easter Sunday. Maybe it's because I'm a reflective person by nature.

Then about five or six years ago, the young adults pastor at my church took one night that we were meeting to talk about Lent - what it was and why it could be important. It struck me as possibly being what I was looking for in the weeks leading up to Easter. It seems like we spend the weeks before Christmas preparing for it - in decorating and buying gifts, but also in church activities and programs that point us to the reason we, as followers of Christ, celebrate Christmas. So, I was kind of glad to know that there was something that was a part of church history that came in the weeks leading up to Easter.

When the young adults pastor at my church talked about it, he talked about the idea of Lent being a time of sacrifice. I know lots of people give up something for the time, with the purpose of going without that being to point them to and draw them to Christ. It's a time to slow down and reflect on what Jesus did in paying the ultimate sacrifice for our sin and conquering death.

Some years I have given things up. Other years I haven't. But I have made it a part of this time of year - these weeks leading up to Easter - to slow down and spend time focused on what was going on in the weeks leading to the cross for Jesus. For me, it's been about being intentional about that.

And I think that is the key - being intentional. Growing up in the church I could have told you the reason why we celebrate Easter at a young age. I knew the answers and I could rattle them off. Most of the time I appreciate that, but sometimes it means things don't penetrate my heart, unless I'm intentional.

What about you? How do you choose to observe or not observe Lent? What does it mean to you?

post #301

I was looking at my post history and noticed that I have hit the 300 post mark and that means it somehow seems like that is something I should acknowledge in some way, so this will not be a typical post for me. To be honest, it kind of surprised me. I never expected this to last this long. I started posting things on this blog on October 20, 2007. At the time I wasn't sure if I would have anything to say or if I would actually make the time to write. I guess it's safe to say that all these posts later, I did have things to write and I did make the time to do so - whether anyone actually reads it is beside the point for me.

I've been reading some of the early posts I wrote and looking at some of the things I've written on. It's been interesting to journey back to what I was thinking about and try to remember what was going on in my life at that point. I've probably repeated myself a few times over the years with things I've written about. As life circumstances have changed, I've come back to the same things and God has taught me the same lesson again if I was too stubborn to learn it the first time or taken a lesson a little bit further the second time.

I've definitely wondered at times if I would continue to post things here. Sometimes it has seemed like I was out of things to write about. Sometimes I wonder if what I am saying would upset too many people. Sometimes I worry that I will say something that is possibly heretical. But, I usually come to the conclusion that we grow most when we are challenged by things. If someone really does disagree with something I say I will happily discuss it further with them - either on the blog or via email. It causes me to grow in my own walk when I have to rethink things and see them from another person's point of view.

I write about whatever is going on in my life, or what I'm thinking about, or what God is saying to me. Sometimes that means family, or friends, or the church. Sometimes it comes from Scripture, or a quote, or a book, or something a friend said. Or maybe it's just a song I enjoy currently. Really, even if no one was to read this, I don't know that it would really matter to me. A journey that I've been on for the last 5 years is recorded here in a different way than my journals record it. And they supplement each other.

I enjoy writing because it helps me make sense of my thoughts. And I have no intention to stop writing. But I also continue to make no promises about what will show up on this blog, or how frequently (or maybe better said infrequently) I will write.

Blessings to you on your journey with God. May you grow deeper in your walk and never give up on seeking God with everything you have.