Well, folks, Lent is coming to an end. Sunday begins the events of Holy Week. We’ll start with the great celebration of Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday and go through a series of ups and downs as we encounter all that Jesus went through during the Passion events. Are you ready? Has this season prepared you for what lies ahead? Are you prepared to suffer and die with Christ before celebrating once more as the resurrection occurs?
Lent is not just a preparation for Easter, but for life. This is because we are people of the Resurrection. We celebrate eternal life with God because of Jesus overcoming the grave. But before he could do so, he had to go through many things – many serious, difficult, awful things. And so do we. Life is constantly engaging hills and valleys. We find ourselves in the lowest of lows and the highest of highs as various situations come our way. We move from one to the next, up and down, as if we’re riding a roller coaster.
The practices that we have established, and the things which God has instructed us in these past several weeks are lessons for life to make that ride more tolerable, to ease the queasiness that arises within us. So often I’ve heard that people give up something just for Lent, only to pick it back up again as soon as Easter arises. Or the spiritual practice they followed for Lent is stopped once we celebrate the Resurrection. But I have to ask why? Why do we think these things are for but a few weeks instead of our entire lives?
Our walk in faith is a continual, life-long state of development, of growing in our discipleship. It’s a constant state of becoming more ready for what lies ahead, continually becoming more prepared. As Christians, we are life-long learners, not just for one season a few weeks of the year.
So, perhaps as these season winds down, and we digest all that God has brought our way, we all may ponder – what is God calling me to do to continue my preparations? How might I continue to develop my faith in a way that prepares me for the hills and valleys that I have yet to experience?
Always pondering, Pastor Steve
