A Lenten thought

How often do we naturally associate lent with negativity, with denying ourselves, with suffering and even punishment?

It is perhaps natural that since the period we know as lent was kept by the early church, it has itself become somewhat twisted in this way. It was always intended to be a positive experience, a time of moving towards baptism and commitment, or renewal.

By turning it into a time of self denial it has all too often now become a time of, putting up with something mildly inconvenient and the consequent sigh of relief that the time has passed. Self denial is followed by rejoicing, and maybe even some self righteous back patting for having done well.

But today I would like to turn our thoughts to something slightly different, the emptiness and barrenness of the wilderness. For some this may take us to the heart of Lent as they might think of Jesus time there before his ministry began. But today I want to draw us all to the wilderness, to the mountains of the wilderness, the high barren places. . The wilderness is that place which draws us straight to God. (If not to God then doom.)

I expect somewhere we have felt as if we were in a wilderness place, maybe not literally and physically, but emotionally and spiritually. We too may have felt tempted in such a place.

The sense of emptiness can at times feel almost overwhelming, and it is this emptiness that I want us to dwell on for a moment now.

The emptiness of the wilderness that may be deep within.

During Lent we need to try and fill this empty space, not with suffering, and not even with pain, because the negative aspects of these may not fill anything. But we can fill the emptiness with Christ.

Jesus can take this empty space in us and use it for the kingdom, but we need to help this to happen and allow it to.

I came across this short prayer written by William Rutherford from Northern Ireland

Christ, take my emptiness;
may it be a space for you.
And may I encounter you
in everyone I meet.

If this sort of prayer can be our heartfelt prayer then something of the emptiness is being filled.

Filling the emptiness of the wilderness with the love of Christ and seeing Christ in others is a positive step in Lent, and probably more life changing than missing out sugar coffee and chocolates from the diet for six weeks.

So as we find ourselves at the entrance to the wilderness this lent let us try to be positive about the experiences we may find as we journey through it to the Easter Joy awaiting. The wilderness is a solitary and personal place but one in which we may hear our call more clearly.

Another prayer.

Does anyone care
that I sit and stare
and wonder why
I’m here at all?

A still small voice
whispers – yes- rejoice
You are a precious stone
in my kingdoms wall.

Lent is a time when our call to follow is made clearly. We take up something we begin the journey that has been waiting for us. We do so in the love and blessing of God.