I fondly remember my grandmother’s pastor. He had us sing a Christmas song at Easter and an Easter song at Christmas. He said that without Easter, Christmas is just another poor baby born in a barn. Without Christmas, Easter is just another guy dying for his cause.
“O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.”
Adeste Fideles, John Francis Wade (1740s)
Trans. Frederick Oakeley
Lent is the perfect time to adore Christ.
Lent is a season of sacrifice. Our own sacrifice (often some food we give up for Lent) is a reflection of Christ’s sacrifice.
Hebrews 13:15 (ESV)
Let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God.
A sacrifice of praise? How is praise a sacrifice?
If it doesn’t come at some personal cost, it’s not a sacrifice.
‘Tis the season to ask:
How can I help?
Hebrews 10:24 (EXB)
Let us think about each other and help each other
[or how to provoke/rouse/encourage each another]
to show love and do good deeds.
Think about it. Pray about it.
Lord, show me how to be a blessing to others so they can be bigger blessings to even more people, all in Your name.
Lent: a time to ponder the despair of the crucifixion, followed by the hope of the resurrection.
Hebrews 10:23 (NLT)
Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.
Trust God. Hold on to hope. 
Hebrews 10:22 (NIV)
Let us draw near to God.
“Draw near.” Other translations say approach, come near, continue to come, go right in, come to Him.
What does this mean for us during Lent, this season of spiritual reflection?
It means God is ready and waiting. He’s not far away. It’s up to us to move towards Him.
Take the first step. Draw near to God.
It’s Lent — not a time to be hesitant, reluctant or resistant.
Hebrews 4:16 (NIV)
Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
God is waiting — not to yell at us, not to put us in timeout, not to ignore us. He offers grace and mercy. Grace grants us blessings we don’t deserve. Mercy opts not to give us punishment we do deserve. It’s all brought to us through Christ’s death and resurrection.
Step into God’s presence with confidence. It’s all good.
Lent: a season of prayer,
a season of repentance,
a season of worship.
Psalm 95:1-2, 6 (NIV)
Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord;
let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come before him with thanksgiving
and extol him with music and song . . .
Come, let us bow down in worship
let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.
Worship, I can do. Kneeling — my aging knees object. It will make kneeling in heaven that much sweeter.
Some days I feel like the world is falling apart. But Lent reminds me that God was, is and will be in control. It’s His world.
Psalm 118:24 (ESV)
This is the day that the Lord has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.
We can worry, or we can be glad. We have a choice.
I’m looking forward to tonight’s Lenten service.
Psalm 122:1 (NIV)
I rejoiced with those who said to me,
“Let us go to the house of the Lord.”
Let’s be like the psalmist. Let’s all go to church.
Lent is a good time for an honest conversation with God.
Isaiah 1:18 (ESV)
“Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.”
I own up to my sin. God offers me forgiveness.
It’s more than reasonable. It’s gracious and merciful.
