Tag: Ash Wednesday

A call and response for the beginning of Lent

But God’s love knows no bounds

Hosea 14

[Hosea says]

Return, my people, to the Lord your God

For your sins have brought you down.

Bring your confessions and return to the Lord.

Say to him, “Forgive all our sins and graciously receive us,

So that we may offer you our praises.

The Lord says,

Then I will heal you of your faithlessness;

My love will know no bounds,

For my anger will be gone forever.

I will be to my people like a refreshing dew from heaven.

My people will blossom like the lily; it will send roots deep into the soil.

Shutterstock: Damian Lugowski

O my people, stay away from idols!

I am the one who answers your prayers and cares for you.

I am like a tree that is always green;

All your fruit comes from me.

Let those who are wise understand these things.

Let those with discernment listen carefully.

The paths of the Lord are true and right,

And righteous people live by walking in them.

Combining Valentine’s Day with Ash Wednesday

But God wants our hearts

Joel 2:12-13 That is why the Lord says,
    “Turn to me now, while there is time.
Give me your hearts.
    Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning.
13 Don’t tear your clothing in your grief,
    but tear your hearts instead.”
Return to the Lord your God,
    for he is merciful and compassionate,
slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.
    He is eager to relent and not punish.

Today and tomorrow, I’m helping get Caleb and Talita to school and home again because their dad is traveling for work and their mom is a nurse who leaves home early and gets back late. The kids have spent hours laboring over their valentines for their classmates and teachers. Caleb wrote his greetings by himself.

Valerie “dotted” the names for almost-four Talita to trace, and she wrote her name by herself on all these cards:

So much effort to communicate friendship and appreciation!

I’ve been musing over how to combine Valentine’s Day with Ash Wednesday. The prophet Joel gave me the answer. God’s heart is full of unfailing love for us, and he wants us to love him back. He wants to repair his broken relationship with us. He can do so if we turn back to him, admitting and grieving what we’ve done that hurts him.

Our “valentine” for him is humility, and honesty, and a desire to hear and honor his heart of love.

And there’s no better source of love for those we care about than his Spirit, free to flow within and through us (John 7:37-39). That’s why I’ve chosen a flowing river as an image for Lent. The Spirit wants to cleanse us and grow and water his fruit in the garden of our hearts. Starting with love.

Shutterstock: Liinna Lilli

The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).

River of Life by Mac Powell