Although my time for writing has been somewhat limited recently by family, work, and ministry duties, I have reached a point where am ready to begin reflecting for Lent here on my blog. Today, Friday, offers a good place to begin after having had a few days off from writing and having had the opportunity to consider the presence of God in the lives of those who call to him.
Something that I have experienced—at least from time to time— in my life, and perhaps you too may have noticed this, is that when we internalize the scripture, when it becomes like a food for us, we begin to live it out in our lives. When we let the scripture become a reality in us we learn to call upon God in such a way that we are able to hear what can only be described metaphorically as a spiritual echo returning to us from the source of holiness.
Perhaps it's a rare occurrence that we call on God, saying "Father" and hearing within our deepest recesses the acknowledgement of that prayer, or perhaps our spiritual lives are tuned well enough that we have learned to listen to the sound of the spirit at all times. I believe that often such hearing is born out of necessity; that is, it comes forth from our need for God in our lives.
It wasn't too long ago it seems that I reflected on those who cry out for God in the night. To find oneself calling in the night "Father, help me" is not something that one would seek out. We avoid such crosses to carry. However, when life overwhelms us, if we will call out from our deepest need, "Father," we will recognize the Holy Spirit's presence and comfort within our own calling out.
Lent has the potential to build in us such an awareness of the presence of God. When we place ourselves humbly before the one who has the power to do all things we sense communication. We hear with our spiritual ears the voice of spirit. It echoes and reverberates in our souls and inspires us to reach for an even greater awareness of God.
Last night, in the evening prayer, I read in Psalm 144 the words "He is my love, my fortress." May Lent bring a realization of the experience of God being our love, and may that be communicated clearly to us. May God also be our fortress: may he protect us from all harm and may we know him as a place of refuge. May God offer us the courage to embrace life fully as only we can do in him.
Amen.
Posted by: Carol | February 19, 2010 at 12:15 PM