The Power Of Lent

As I look at the difficult economy and the troubled times that we are in, I am reminded anew of the power and significance of Lent. Lent is a Christian season that takes place before Easter. It is a time where Christians reflect on the sacrifice of Christ and ponder what this means or should mean in their lives. For me, my Lent is more than giving something up or committing to do even more. My Lenten time of 2009 is about recommitting myself to being more like Christ. It is a time of pondering the forgiveness and redemption of God in my world and my life. Above all, Lent this year is about having a right relationship with God in which I fully embrace His forgiveness and His restoration and fully commit to a continual re-creation of my life by God.

Our Need For Forgiveness

A few weeks ago, I read The Shack. It is a fictional story that speaks volumes about grace and forgiveness. I won't go into details (this would ruin the book) but the story tellingly gives an account of the power of evil and how forgiveness is essential to fully overcome evil. The story represents God in three persons who are one (Blessed Trinity) who care for us, walks with us, and is always there for us in the deepest and darkest of times. In the story, the author beautifully presents how God interacts with us and is constantly working out our forgiveness for us. As I finished the book, I was touched to the point of tears and had a new wave of understanding and of forgiveness come over me.