40 days & 40 years: Seasons of Mercy

"Arise my love, my lovely one, come. See! The winter is past and the rains are gone! Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing is come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land. The fig tree forms it's early fruit; the blossoming vines spread their fragrance. Arise, come my darling; my beautiful one, come with me." -- Song of Solomon 2

Lent is here, and springtime is just weeks away. As the world emerges from the cold of winter, new signs of life begin to appear. In Austin, purple buds are blooming on the Mountain Laurels lining Town Lake, and their fragrance fills the air. Runners passing by breathe in the pleasing aroma, just as enthusiastically as they partake of the colorful sights and familar sounds of spring. Our eyes and ears are eager to receive what the new season will bring!

The season of Lent reflects this spirit of hope and prepares us for the only hope worth dying for. Rooted in His love & mercy, it is a time of reflection & repentence, and an opportunity to experience the true freedom of living in and for Christ. As in all seasons, we can choose in Lent to surrender the habits & strongholds that compete with Him in our lives, and embrace a life of joyful holiness.

The next 40 days lead to Easter and to the cross, where we share in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. The 40 day journey this year has additional significance to me as it leads to the week of my 40th birthday! In celebration of both, I am taking time over Lent to reflect on the various seasons of my life and the many mercies God has shown me over the past 40 years. They have been new every morning! GREAT is His faithfulness!

Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD. - Lam 3:21-26