Dear LifeSpring Family,
I am writing this devotion on Ash Wednesday, February 22nd.
Ash Wednesday is a holy day of prayer and fasting in many Western Christian denominations. It is preceded by Shrove Tuesday and marks the first day of Lent. Wikipedia
For many years I did not fully appreciate Ash Wednesday and the period of Lent.
Lent is a period of 40 days during which Christians remember the events leading up to and including the death of Jesus Christ, whose life and teachings are the foundation of Christianity.
The 40-day period is called Lent after an old English word meaning ‘lengthen’.
This is because of the time of year when it happens, as this is when the days start to get longer, as we approach Summer.
It is a time of reflection and of asking for forgiveness, and when Christians prepare to celebrate Jesus’s resurrection at the feast of Easter, which comes at the very end of Lent. – BBC
This year’s Ash Wednesday is two days after I cremated my mother. Her 91 years on earth was filled with challenges in her early years but also with great joy especially being surrounded with 15 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren. This year’s period of Lent will remind me of our hope in the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ and everyone who believes in Him including my dearest mum.
As we learn to observe Lent as a LifeSpring family, may we learn to practice a discipline that will focus on our Lord Jesus Christ as well as fast from something the next forty days.
Shalom
Jerry