Believe in Resurrection

Photo by Pop & Zebra on Unsplash

The Lenten Season comes a little early this year. I just took down the Christmas lights on our home and was surprised to see Ash Wednesday is less than a month away. I love Lent because it gives us a deeper vision of the truth of both our finite lives and God’s infinite love. We begin the journey with the imposition of ashes and are told, “Remember you are dust and to dust you shall return.” The modern world tries to shield us from the realities of our own mortality, but the church literally holds this truth up to our face. Lent starts with death, but it concludes with new life. That’s a season worth celebrating! 

This year’s observance will certainly feel a little different, but I believe there is much to be learned in the coming months. A well-spent Lent involves some level of self-sacrifice. We will once again have our Lenten Water Challenge benefiting the Marion Medical Mission’s efforts in bringing clean water wells to Africa. We encourage folks to drink clean tap water and forgo coffee, soda, alcoholic beverages, etc. for 40 days. Last year, we raised $6,750 providing 15 new wells, and I believe we can top that this year. Over the past decade, St. Mark donated over $31,000 to this important mission of providing living water to all God’s children.

I realize the plea to give things up feels very different this year. The ongoing pandemic forced all of us to refrain from so much over the past 11 months. In many ways, it feels like we are in a never-ending cycle self-denial. There is a huge difference between having something taken away and giving up something voluntarily. One is heartbreaking, but the other is life-giving. Put another way, when we intentionally remove little luxuries, we are able to help out others in need, and we will find ourselves closer to God. 

“Then (Jesus) said to them all, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it. What does it profit them if they gain the whole world, but lose or forfeit themselves?’” (Luke 9:23-25, NRSV.)

 Lent is a hard road, but it is an honest path. We start with a reminder of our mortality, and we conclude the journey standing in front of an empty tomb. Yes, there is death all around us, but we believe in resurrection!

 In Hope and Confidence, 

Pastor Dave