God.

This is the first Sunday in Lent. And some of us are aware, even more than at New Years, of how hesitant we are about our commitments. Hesitant is a nice way to say it.

We thought about committing to something in order to draw closer to you. To giving up something distracting. To choosing something that would help us focus. We started on Wednesday. We’re uncertain today.

For some of us, we’re blaming our weakness.
For others of us, we’re blaming the media for drawing us into arguments.
For still others of us, we’re wrestling with whether Lent is even an important thing.

I’m not sure, for sure, that you care about Lent. Which is funny, God, since I wrote a book about Lent. But it’s not a season you designated. I’m completely sure, however, that you care deeply about us. Enough that you offer us grace and righteousness through Jesus. And in your deep care for us, you invite us to reject the things that distract us and turn from the things that destroy us. You invite us to cling to you, to desire to be in conversation with you, to follow you. You invite us to live in the commitments of Lent, even if we call them something else.

Like repentance. Like obedience. Like self-denial. Like love for one another.

We acknowledge that we are human. We confess that sometimes we act like we are gods. We desire to know you better.

In this season and always.

Through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

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From God. We Still Need You.: A Year of Pandemic Prayer and Practice From a Hospital Chaplain