LENT AS PURPOSEFUL WAITING
My soul, wait in silence for God alone, for my hope is from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, My refuge; I will not be shaken. (Psalm 62: 5-6)
The month of March marks spring in the Northern hemisphere, but I am unable to envision it as I am writing this note to the congregation. This past Sunday, the Northeast was pummeled by the Nor’easter, which dumped more than a foot of snow in many parts of New Jersey. I can hear the noise of my neighbor’s snow blower as they clear the driveway.
The weather outside is cloudy and cold. The temperature, the weather channel says, will rise, and we will see the snow slowly melt, giving signs of Spring weather in the air. But for now, if someone even mentions the word Spring, it sounds strange to our ears. Before the unbelievable is experienced, you and I need to sit out this time and wait for the arrival of Spring. Lent for me is sometimes sitting it out before we experience the joy of Easter. Lent is that purposeful and active 40-day waiting in preparation for Easter. Waiting is one of life’s best teachers, says an author, for in it we learn the virtue of… well, waiting—waiting while God works in us and for us. It’s in waiting that we develop endurance, the ability to trust God’s love and goodness, even when things aren’t going our way (Psalm 70:5). Also, in this waiting, you are not alone. There is a God who waits with you.
Some give up something as a way of waiting, and others take up something to prepare. Rather than passive inaction, this is a conscious decision to allow God to work in us, often through spiritual disciplines. There will be plenty of opportunities to embrace spiritual disciplines during this season of Lent. If you are someone who reads a devotional in the morning, look for a Lent devotional and start reading. It is not too late to start something; latecomers are always welcome. Hear this encouraging word from the devotional that I am reading. “What should you do now that you are here? Set aside some time for understanding and prayer. Catch up on the readings, worship Jesus, and ask him to lead you in this journey. Decide on something that you will give up and something that you will take up in order to draw near to God. Or perhaps God is not leading you to give anything up, but simply to focus your attention on him.”
Volunteering during Lent is also another opportunity to serve in the cause of God’s kingdom. Some options include serving at local soup kitchens, food pantries, or tutoring students. You can also participate in community cleanups, visit the homebound, or donate items like food or clothing. Consistency is the key while volunteering. Choose to volunteer weekly rather than just once to make it a true discipline. If you are interested in volunteering, especially tutoring children in disadvantaged neighborhoods, please let me know, and I can connect you with organizations that are looking for volunteers.
The Lenten Bible studies that meet every Friday can be another opportunity to do something as you wait. This year, the study by Rachel Billups on the Unlikely Lent will usher us to explore the unlikely characters on the way to the Cross. The author starts with Mary of Bethany (John’s gospel gives her the name, while the synoptics just mention her as a woman or even a sinful woman), who does the most unlikely giving and sacrifice. You will meet several characters on this Lenten journey, and each one of them gives us a clue of how to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. The study is not so much to gain more knowledge, but to identify and resonate with them and be challenged to follow Jesus on the way to the Cross. Come, join us!
If someone had told the disciples (even though Jesus mentions his suffering and the cross several times) that an empty tomb and a Risen Christ were the end of their Lenten journey, they would have laughed at the possibility of it. I believe the act of waiting can help us embrace the impossibility that God has in store for us. The purposeful, active waiting and journeying with Jesus can help us see the joy of Easter. Easter becomes a sweet celebration only when we wait in anticipation to what God can do. I pray that you will experience the Lord’s hand upon your life as you wait during these 40 days in Lent.
Gratefully Yours,
