A prayer to begin this Lent

     Today is Ash Wednesday.  The first day of Lent.  When I mentioned this to my husband, he asked me (with an ever so slight smug expression, I might add): "Well, what exactly does the word 'Lent' mean?"
     I stumbled around...basically winging it...which actually means I made up something out of whole cloth.  Funny, I really didn't know even though all these years we've talked about Lent, read (somewhat irregularly) Lenten devotions, and tried to give up something for Lent--usually quite unsuccessfully since the thing I typically gave up tended to involve the renunciation of chocolate in some form or another. Always a huge, nearly impossible challenge in the case of yours truly who has zero will power when it comes to sweets.  Sigh.
     But after a bit of research, here's what I've learned: the word "Lent" means "the lengthening of days"--because during the weeks before Easter, in the northern hemisphere, the short, frigid days of winter should be lengthening into the longer, warmer days of spring.  At least that would be the case if the Polar Vortex would take a hike and never, ever, under penalty of death, show it's wretched face around here again.  Not that I'm resentful at all about the FREEZING weather that seems doggedly determined to hang on.  Oh no.  Don't we all love cold, damp, dreary days?
     But here's the good news...on several fronts.  First of all, the days are getting longer--praise God!  Thank You, Lord Jesus, for longer days of glorious daylight--and praise You that You are our Light, the Light of the World. (John 8:12)  Secondly, winter will eventually--no matter how grudgingly--give way to spring.  "For behold, the winter is past; the rain is over and gone.  The flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land." (Song of Sol.2:11-12)  And third, Easter is coming!  No matter what it looks like right now, no matter what it feels like right now, Easter is coming.
      Just as surely as Good Friday looked like the end of all of Jesus' followers' hopes and dreams, just as surely as it must have felt like the end of the world...it wasn't.  Not by a long shot!  No, it wasn't the end of life...but the beginning.  Yeah, it was the end of plenty of things--like the end of the penalty of sin and death and despair.  The end of man's futile attempts to earn God's favor.  The end of trying and doing, trying and doing...and failing over and over again.
     And instead, it was the beginning of salvation by grace.  The beginning of righteousness by faith and faith alone.  The beginning of Jesus saying "No more doing and doing...it's done."  The beginning of God being with us and in us through the Holy Spirit and never, ever leaving us alone or forsaken.  The beginning of power--real power--and unconquerable hope and joy and peace through the indwelling presence of our Lord and King, Jesus.
     So, yep, today is the first day of Lent--the lengthening of days to remind us and prepare us for Easter.  I love how Barbara Rainey explained the purpose of these next 40 days: "Lent is the season of preparation for the pinnacle of the Christian faith, the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  The purpose of observing Lent is to remember our need for a Savior and to anticipate the greatest miracle of all time.  Jesus willingly gave His life to free us from slavery to sin.  Many of us know that, but here in the Shadowlands (C.S.Lewis' description of earth), the wonder becomes clouded by daily disappointments and difficulties."
     Amen to that.
     Lord, would You remind us in these next 40 or so days of Lent?  Would You, in Your mercy and grace, restore to us the joy of our salvation?  "Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and make me willing to obey You." (Ps.51:12)
     Forgive us, Father, that we silly, sometimes superficial creatures, forget so easily.  Would You show us again, Lord?  Would You give us a glimpse this Lenten season of Your glory and revive in us a sense of undiluted awe and wonder in Your Son, our Savior?   We join with Moses on this Ash Wednesday and ask "Please show me Your glory." (Ex.33:18)  For if we glimpse Your glory, we will be awestruck...and changed forever.
     We know You will, for You are the forever faithful Almighty One. We anticipate with eager excitement all that You will show us, Lord, for You've promised "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened to you." (Mt.7:7)
     We're knocking, Lord.  Might we be astounded and awed this Lenten season by Your infinite love, Your unlimited power, Your matchless beauty, Your amazing grace, and Your magnificent glory.
     To God be the glory.