What have you done to get ready for Easter?
Lent isn’t about the food, the company or the clothes–unless, of course, you mean feasting on God’s Word, keeping company with the Holy Spirit and being clothed with righteousness. 
Today is the intersection of St. Patrick, Spring and Lent.
Today is the intersection of forgiveness, new life and Christ.
Today’s intersection is the Cross.
Sometimes the oldest thoughts are the best.
“The power of God to hold and lead,
His eye to watch, His might to stay,
His ear to hearken to my need.
The wisdom of my God to teach,
His hand to guide, His shield to ward,
The word of God to give me speech,
His heavenly host to be my guard.”
From St. Patrick’s Breastplate Prayer
Patrick achieved sainthood because of his forgiving spirit (most people would willingly see their captors go to hell). Our beloved saint sought their salvation, not their destruction.
So let’s honor the saint and give up a grudge.
Matthew 6:12 (NIV)
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
The Celts of history—what do you know?
The Celtics were a European people group. They weren’t under Roman rule, so the Romans considered them barbarians. They knew nothing of Christ, so Christians considered them pagan.
Irish Celtic culture is unique in that it was transformed by Christianity without being transformed by the society that brought Christianity to its shores (kudos to St. Patrick). Many believe that its roots are close to the early Christian church.
This week’s constructive thought: how much of your Christian faith is cultural, how much is biblical?
I meditated on 1 Kings 19.
“Lord, why the still small voice? Why not a BIG VOICE? . That way I won’t misunderstand.”
Epiphany! It by God’s mercy that I get the still small voice; the earthquake, mighty wind and fire would terrify me. The still, small and gentle voice is very good.
We think we’re waiting for the still, small voice of God. Sometimes it’s not a voice.
We’d looked everywhere for the keys–nada. We prayed.
In my mind’s eye, I saw our young son poking the keys through the side of the laundry basket (how he loved to put things into little spaces). We checked the basket, voila! Keys.
My view was from above the ceiling. I later understood this was an image straight from God. I would have envisioned it from my own eye level. What I saw was a God’s eye view.
God doesn’t have to use words.
It’s Lent. We are waiting–waiting to hear from God.
“God not only gives us something to hear,
but he gives us ears to hear with . . .
he that sends the tidings also opens the ears.“
Charles Haddon Spurgeon, The Voice Behind Thee, 1882
Spurgeon’s message was based on Isaiah 30:21 (KJV)
And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying,
This is the way, walk ye in it.
Wait. Listen. You will hear.
Your Lenten wait should not be empty. It should be quiet, like the silence after a snowfall.
Psalm 46:10
Be still, and know that I am God.
The silence overflows with the presence of God.
