For Lent--Just come

      Today is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent.  We talked about it last night at the dinner table--about what Lent means, this season of 40 days to prepare our hearts for the death and resurrection of Jesus.  And it reminds me of how often I have failed at this in the past.  Given up chocolate or dessert or something, and then at the end of the first week, I've already missed the mark.  Already seemed to say to the Lord who died for me and saved me that a piece of chocolate cake is more important to me than the Savior.
      I know this is not true, but still, in many ways, it's a reminder of our, of my utter weakness and frailty and consistently sin-prone selfishness.  I want what I want far too often... and not what Jesus wants.  Even though He offers us Life and love and joy and peace, we tend far too often to choose those pale, poor substitutes that we think will bring us joy... but never, never ultimately do.  Forgive us Father.  Forgive me, Your weak and wandering child.
      And thank You that knowing all that, knowing all the times we would fail and falter and refuse Your will, Your way... reject You, You came and loved and died and rose again.  For us.  How can we get over the wonder of that?  You came for such as us.
     And today, You beckon us still... even in the dirt and debris of our pride and selfishness, to come, come to You and unburden those sins that strangle us and separate us from You and from abundant, joyous, full and free Eternal Life.
     "Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Mt.11:28-30)
     Yes, the Savior beckons me, beckons you--Come all who labor under impossible self-imposed standards and relentless work loads.  Come all who feel laden by deep sorrows and sins and struggles that seem to never end.  Just come.  Come.   Come and learn.  Come and laugh again.  Come and love.  Come and be restored and renewed and revived once more by the One who came that we might come.
       And so today, might we pray big--knowing we can never do any of this on our own, can we?  Or at least I can't.  I can't make it till this afternoon with my brash Lenten vows.  I can't be the wife and mother and friend God has called me to be.  I can't love as I should and want to love.  I can't find the energy and motivation to do what I should be doing rather than what I oftentimes just feel like doing.
     But He can.  And He simply says "Come to Me."  And so we come.  And we pray.  We pray big, bold prayers for those we love... and for those we may not know, but He does.  Because we serve a BIG, all powerful God.  And we trust that He is moving and working in their lives, and all the while making us into the men and women He's called us to be.
     Because He is.  We just need to keep on coming to the One who came to us.  To God be the glory.