Ash Wednesday

 

  Today, we begin another season of Lent!  Are you ready?  So many times I hear people singing the Lenten blues, "I don't know what to give up?" And although Lent is a time of fasting and self-sacrifice, it is also a time to renew and reinvigorate our relationship with Jesus.  Growing closer to Jesus should ignite a desire in our hearts.  Jesus didn't spend three years down in the dumps, wishing Good Friday would come and go so He could get on with His life.  No.  Jesus laughed, prayed, and spent time with friends. He hoped His example of love would inspire others to a deeper understanding of the Father. Jesus' sacrifice is life-giving.  We should embrace this time, praying for a deeper understanding and commitment to God.

  This Lent, I will start a series called The Beloved Disciple.  It is the name the apostle John uses to refer to himself in his gospel.  It is also a name he hoped each of us would embrace.  John's understanding of who Jesus is began in shallow waters on the Sea of Galilee and grew throughout his life.  He could call himself the beloved disciple because, by the end of his life, he knew Jesus deep in his soul.

  This Lent, let us follow John's life as he draws near to his teacher, his friend, and our God.