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Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church 1610 Carlisle Road, Camp Hill, Pennsylvania 17011 Phone: (717) 737-0439 / Fax: (717) 737-5421 Email: gelc@comcast.net |
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You are Here: Home > Pastor Joel's Corner > Devotion Archives > 02-16-2007 Online Devotions
Devotion for the week of February 16, 2007
Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, February 21st. It is a time when we journey toward the cross of Jesus Christ. During that 40-day journey, Christians often do some sort of Lenten discipline. Have you given any thought to your Lenten discipline? Allow me to offer some suggestions. Lent is often a time associated with remembering our baptism. In baptism, we are washed clean of the powers of sin and death. So, whenever we shower or whenever we wash our hands, a simple discipline would be to remember how God has renewed our lives with the power of water. Lent is also a time when we remember to give alms to the poor. Thus, we might want to get a large jar for collecting coins. Each day of Lent might be marked by dropping the coins in our pockets into the jar at the end of the day. And, then at the end of Lent we might designate that money to a local food bank or some other worthwhile cause. Lent is also a time when we fast. Fasting means giving up something that is not good for us, whether it is sweets or excessive television watching. But, consider instead, adding something to your life routine as oppose to taking something away. How about adding the routine of going for a walk in God’s creation, or going to the library to get books or movies as opposed to buying them, or praying for the hurting people and desperate situations that appear in the newspaper? I hope these suggestions are helpful as your consider your Lenten discipline, and I hope you have a blessed Lent and that it serves to renew you in Spirit and life. Let us pray…Gracious God, you have given us the special time of Lent that we might seek life again. Help as your people to see what you have accomplished for us in Christ and thus follow in ways that bring wholeness and holiness to our lives. In Christ, we pray. Amen. |