Word for Word

by Rev. Kevin Smith

January has now passed and we are entering into the season of Lent. The word Lent comes from the word lencten, which means spring. That’s right, spring is just around the corner, even though the weatherman is predicting cold temperatures and snow. This is the time to prepare for spring to come. As we make our preparations let us remember also to be in preparation for Easter.
Easter is the greatest of all celebrations in the church, greater even than Christmas, because it is the celebration of Jesus dying for our sins. Just as advent was a time of preparation for the coming of Christmas, Lent is the preparation for Easter. As we get ready to celebrate what Christ did for us on the cross, we should take time to examine ourselves and our lives so we can better appreciate the sacrifice Jesus made for us.
After Jesus was baptized by John, he was taken to the desert where he fasted for forty days and was tempted by Satan. We can be reminded of this if we give up something during Lent (Lent lasts for forty days not including Sundays). The idea would be to give up something that tempts you or is not good for you and replace it with something that draws you closer to God. Jesus did give up his life so that we could have that relationship with God.
Other than giving something up for Lent, we might find other ways to see God in our secular lives. February is the month associated with three secular holidays, the first being Groundhog Day, the second is Valentine’s Day and the third is Presidents’ Day. These holidays are very fitting for the season we are about to enter as the Church.
Groundhog Day marks the day when we will supposedly be able to determine the days of winter left. It is a time of anticipation for a new beginning, a fresh start. This mirrors Lent as we endure a dark period of solemn preparation in anticipation of the resurrection. While we might not know the exact number of days until the resurrection occurs, we know that the day is closer now than when we first became believers.
During Valentine’s Day we share what is on our hearts with the ones we care for the most, and give of ourselves in hopes of being accepted or in celebration of acceptance. I’m sure that most of you can recall your first love or at least your true love. Do you recall the things that you did to win the heart of that love of your life? I recall devoting much of my time to phone calls and notes to Lisa (when I wasn’t next to her). I also remember that I had a drawer that I kept her notes to me in so that I could read them over again.
I also recall doing things to show my devotion, giving good gifts and going out of my way to do little things to make Lisa happy. I even listened intently as she talked about her day even though I had been close by most of it and already knew what had happened. The one who loves us more than we could ever imagine does these things and more for each and every one of us. Shouldn’t we give the same attention to God that God has already given us? During Lent we prepare our hearts to share them with the Lord, knowing that he has already accepted us. “For while we were yet sinners, He gave himself for us that we might have life eternal.”
For Presidents’ Day we celebrate some of the great leaders we have had in our country, acknowledging their good examples for honesty and service. During this time we should also remember the greatest leader of all, Jesus Christ our Savior, who taught us the truth and who showed us the way to truly serve or fellow man by loving our neighbor as ourself. The best way to honor Christ is to seek out new ways to reach all God’s children. Let us be true servant leaders by actively seeking people and places where Christ’s love has not been shown and then let’s show Him to them.
I would encourage you to look deeply into your relationship with God and see if there is a way for you to grow in faith throughout the forty days of Lent. Then I challenge you to share with others what your relationship with God means to you.