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Wednesday, February 13, 2013

LENT BEGINS TODAY

Today begins a journey for millions of Christ-followers, one which has taken place for over 2000 years now.  I always enter this time of year with a sober anticipation of how God wants to reveal himself within me, and then through me to a broken world.

I am reading a classic called Revelations of Divine Love by a 14th century woman named Julian of Norwich this Lenten season.  In the first chapter she tells of asking God to give her three wounds-the wound of "very contrition," the wound of "kind compassion" and the wound of "steadfast longing toward God."  

As I prepare to ponder the manifold wounds Christ endured through his Passion, I am asking how he might want to wound my own heart, that I might more fully know the fellowship of his sufferings.  As time allows, I will share.  Here is a quote from my reading this morning:
I saw that He is to us everything that is good and comfortable for us: He is our clothing that for love wrappeth us, claspeth us, and all encloseth us for tender love, that He may never leave us; being to us all-thing that is good, as to mine understanding.
Two notes for your own pilgrimage:

  • I am sorry to say that I have not received permission from my publisher to distribute the devotionals from Contemplating the Cross online this year.  I am still working on this, and hopefully will be able to do so soon.  Meanwhile, the book is available in hard-copy as well as for Kindle through Amazon.  You can find it by clicking here.  

  • For a powerful way to set your heart towards Christ on this first day of Lent, click here  and enjoy about 10 minutes of blessed adoration. 
May you experience all that God has for you on this Lenten journey.