For many, Christmas is a faded memory of hustle and bustle, celebrations, gift giving and receiving, and family time. But time continues to move on whether we are ready for it or not. As much as I consider myself a “Christmas fanatic”, once we near the end of February I begin to long for Spring. One of the major events that heralds the official season of Spring is Easter. A time when those things which appear to be dead or least have been dormant and inactive suddenly seem to break forth with new life and abundant beauty.

A precursor to usher in the observance of Easter is the season known as Lent. Although not all denominations and religious entities choose to take part in the Lenten season which begins a period of 40 days (approximately 6 weeks) before Easter, I believe it can and should be recognized in some way in our personal walk as a Christian.

Periodically it serves us best to assess and reflect on our relationship with the One who freely sacrificed His life that we might have a more abundant one. When life gets so full and makes extreme demands on our time, our Savior many times gets the leftovers when He is the One who should get the first fruits of our devotion and attention. Whether you actively participate in Lent in a formal or ceremonial custom, it is a most appropriate time to once again determine the reason for this very sacred season and what it means to you. I would like to share with you a few ways that I will strive to observe this sacred season.

Sacrifice – Because the Savior sacrificed His life for us, what sacrifices can we make to show our gratitude? No sacrifice can ever measure up to what He has done for us, but it is the heart felt motive behind the sacrifice. Consider what you can “give up”, what worldly pleasure can you deny yourself of (even if for a specified period of time), in order to make room for more of Him.

Repentance – As much as we want to live a righteous and holy life, we are human beings who inevitably fall short and make mistakes. We serve a forgiving God who is always waiting to forgive, but we need to own those shortcomings and ask Him for forgiveness.

Gratitude – Because of God’s abundant and unfailing love for His children, He never stops giving. Every breath we take, every move we make, would be impossible without our God! Let’s take our gratitude to another dimension – no one deserves it more than our God.

Discovery – We serve a God of infinite possibilities! Every day is an opportunity to not only discover more of Him, but to discover more about ourselves and the purpose He has predestined for our lives.

Recommitment – Observances such as Lent help to serve as a catalyst to recommit and rededicate our lives to the cause of Christ. Many couples choose to renew their marriage vows after a being married for a period of time. It is their way of proclaiming their love, dedication, and desire to continue that covenant for a lifetime. Hopefully within the years leading up to the renewal, the relationship has grown and deepened, and this ceremony is a public display of that declaration. The same should be true in the covenant we have made with the Father. We should desire to live a life that proclaims our love, appreciation, worship in adoration, and servitude to our Lord Jesus Christ.

Source: First Lady Denise