Reflectionson Lent: A time of Grace (Bro Peter Anthoney)

It is the time of the year again – Lent. Lent simply means another chance for us to find ourselves, to place ourselves in a right relationship with God our Father. Especially, if we due to our hurts and pain have taken a different path, away from the journey planned by the Father for us.

I remember getting lost on my way to a new destination. By my own effort and intellect I thought I could find the place easily but I was wrong, not only did I not reach my destination but I was quite lost in the street that was crowded with crossroads, junctions, split road, etc. It was then I realized that I needed help. When I finally let go of all that was holding me back and called for help I found my way quite easily and fast. I also realized it was also some effort from my part with the direction given; I still had a choice and freedom but having learnt my lesson and the spirit of humility that had crept into me I was feeling that now I had new strength and energy. It was also at this point too I realized that how much I have strayed away from God trying to prove myself worthy from my own might. At times we are like that, thinking that we know everything and tend to walk in our own ways.

As such we experience Lent as a moment of time, a moment when we turn back to God and slow down to recollect, reflect, and ponder while putting our life in order. We may have gone astray, went away from the Lord our God who is ‘Abba Father’. Now is the time for us to come back to the Lord and let go of our ego, and let God the Father to take control of us, direct us to the destiny where we suppose to arrive at. Let us listen with open and humble hearts to his life-giving words, to empower us to live our lives to the fullest. Let go and let God.

Reflecting this experience I see the season of Lent as a season for each one of us to take an inward journey within ourselves, to look deeper into our lives – moving on to bring ourselves to the light of Christ for ‘in you is the source of life, by your light we see the light.’ Psalm 36:9. We need to spend time or waste time in finding ourselves in the light of Christ, only then we will be the ‘light of Christ’ to the world around us. Like the psalmist of psalm 62, seek out our Lord and glorify him in our changing for without Him in our life our life will be meaningless without purpose, ‘Like a dry, weary land without water.’

O God, you are my God, for you I long;
For you my soul is thirsting.
My body pines for you,
Like a dry, weary land without water.
So I gaze on you in the sanctuary
to see your strength and your glory.
(Psalm 62)

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Stay tuned for the next post by Bro Jude David on 23rd Feb 2010.