Lenten
Creation
Lent
is an opportunity for great spiritual and personal examination, a
time to study our relationship with God and others, a time to improve
those relationships and make them more meaningful. But our desire for
deeper connection to God, one another, and all of God’s creation
this Lent has to compete with the rest of life. Our spiritual
practices go up against our everyday lives, busy schedules, work and
family demands, emotional trials, and more.
This
Lent, we look to God’s creation to help us find our way on our
spiritual journey. In the scriptures we see the links between the
Lenten journey and Creation. Jesus is in the company of wild animals
while he faces his tempter in the desert. God’s language – when
addressing Abraham and Sarah directly and the people of Israel
through Jeremiah – refers to the land, the mountains, and the very
hearts of humankind. The psalmist looks for God’s glory in creation
and refers to God as rock and redeemer. The Israelites face
their fears of God leaving them in the desert and are strengthened
for more of their journey. And Jesus rides a colt into Jerusalem –
from the wilderness, through small towns, and now arriving in the
city where he will face his enemies.
It
is a sacred thing to bring the ancient practice of Lenten examination
into the modern world. The Lenten scripture readings, which speak to
our human desires and failures, help us see our own lives in a new
way. This Lent there will be moments of stress and times when you
might feel frustrated. Times when you don’t think you have enough
time for Lent, or even times when you feel like a failure.
But
the river – the divine – continues to flow. Even if our spiritual
lives seem to be nothing more than a dried up riverbed, God is there
with a trickle of water to refresh us. As life twists and turns, we
flow – God flows – with it. Every turn is a chance to slow down,
reflect, and then flow onward toward Easter.
During
the Season of Lent, may you find not only moments for reflection, but
moments for connection with others and all of God’s creation.
Copyright © Wood Lake Publishing Inc. 2014 Seasons of the Spirit™ SeasonsFUSION Lent • Easter 2015, p.15
