An Ending or a Beginning? Which will it be?
As we enter into the season of spring we look forward to being finished with the gray harshness of winter. It has been a long and weary season with the restrictions of frigid cold air and biting wind chills. I am also glad that I can hopefully put away the penguin ice walk for quite a while. Sure, there are things to enjoy about winter, but for most of us we are at the point where we forget those entertainments and now only feel the length of it hanging around.
We also find ourselves at the end of the church season of Lent. A time when many of us enter into an intentional time of discipline to prepare for our celebration of Resurrection on April 12. I need to confess that my enthusiasm for this season of spiritual training was very high on Ash Wednesday, but my feeling about Lent mirrors my feeling about the end of winter. Isn’t it time to be finished with it so I can get back to “normal?”
As I catch myself saying that, I just smile and shake my head. I think the winter frost has affected my brain. As one who walks with and guides people on their spiritual journey, I see that I have turned things upside down. Lent is not a season to just “get through” without learning anything or growing up any. Lent is a training season that helps us to live more fully the New Life we celebrate at Easter.
So instead of thinking that we are finally done with this spiritual time of Lent and we can soon return to our regular programmed lives, we are instead invited to see that we can now more fully get started on the larger God-life that Jesus brings us. So as we anticipate the unfolding of spring around us, we can also welcome the revelation of our Easter life. Our journey of the last few months has prepared us to stand tall, step out, and walk with our Savior. The old hymn says it well.
Just a closer walk with Thee,
Grant us Jesus, is my plea,
Daily walking close to Thee,
Let it be, Lord, let it be.
