Many of the devotions you will be reading over the next few weeks have been written by members of our Church community in Fish Hoek. As we are celebrating our Church Centenary in 2021, I asked people to share part of their own faith experience by reflecting on this Season in our Christian calendar. I am sure you will be as blessed as I have been, in reading these devotions.
Matthew 4:1-2. Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the season of Lent, a word that does not appear in the Bible. The Afrikaans word for Spring is “Lente” which is connected to an Old English word “Lencten” meaning the season of Spring. The Old English word really meant “Lengthen” because in the Northern Hemisphere at this time it was Spring and the days started to get longer.
Lent as we know it in the church, came into being about the 4th century as a time of preparation for Easter. It originally consisted of 36 days of prayer and fasting but by the 7th century it was lengthened to 40 days to correspond to Jesus’ fasting and temptation in the wilderness.
In every commercial undertaking there comes time for the annual stock take. It really is a time of reassessment. Lent is the time when we ought to be taking stock of our lives. Perhaps the most important question we should ask;
“Where am I in my walk with God?”
It was William Sangster who suggested we ask these questions of ourselves;
“Am I really a converted person?
Am I known as a Christian in the circles where I move?
Who is Jesus to me?”
These questions are very personal and only you can answer them.
Most Gracious Lord, at the beginning of this season of Lent, help me as I examine my relation with You and forgive me for my shortcomings. Despite my failures I do love you with all my heart. I pray this in Jesus Name. Amen
(Thanks to Rev. Ralph Thornley for his lovely devotion today.)
Living in Grace
D3LM3
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