March 30 2020 

HAVE I FORGOTTEN THIS IS THE LENTEN SEASON OF 2020?  

I am sad that my preoccupation with Coronavirus and a seriously modified lifestyle is edging out the Lenten season of 2020. What's really interesting is that Lent asks us to slow down and so does prevention of CoVid-19! In fact, to prevent the spread of CoVid-19 we are advised to not just slow down, but to halt! Right now, there is a global plea to stay at home, practice social-distancing, to do one's part to flatten the curve, to lockdown or to quarantine. Whatever term you choose to use, most of us are halting routine schedules and behaviors. Ironically, now is an ideal time to observe Lent and assess one's personal walk with Jesus Christ. 

In her book, Following at a Distance, Kimberly Dunnam Reisman writes, "Each year, Lent is an opportunity to choose, again and again, how we will follow Christ – whether it will be in the shadows or in the light, at a distance or by Jesus’ side. …Jesus invites us to follow with abandon to selfish ambition."  
  
Do I have the guts to admit what am I doing well and where I fall short in following Christ?! Do I have the grit to make permanent changes that allow me to live in truth and transparency for Christ and others? A beloved friend says she's using this self-isolation time as a hard-reset for her life and the lives of her family.  A hard reset or hardware reset is a computer term applied to a system as a hardware operation that re-initializes the core hardware components, thus ending all current software operations in the system. A hard reset for me means a fresh start - old stuff gone and a clean hard drive awaiting new input and information. It means eliminating the insignificant junk and clutter while saving the good stuff and making room for new action and input. 

For years it has been easy for me to use the scriptural words, "Walk in the light" to any number of circumstances. I confess that  "Walk in the Light"  rolls off my tongue in judgment, in back-handed criticism or in feeble, sanctimonious attempts to get a laugh.  Friends have heard me use the words time and again!  In my heart, I know there is a presence of God in those who walk in the light even if the 'light walkers' aren’t always aware of the light. Christ followers  strive to be like Jesus so that like Him,  God's light is evident in how we speak, act, and think about life, work, loved ones, ministry and faith. The light that is within all believers exposes and drives out the darkness as we are living reflections of Christ. 


“For you have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life” (Psalm 56:13).

“Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, Lord” (Psalm 89:15).

“Come, descendants of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the Lord” (Isaiah 2:5)

“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned” (Isaiah 9:2)

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12)

“You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going. Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light” (John 12:35-36)

“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin” (1 John 1:7)

God's first act in creation was to define light.  Genesis 1:1-4 says, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness.

Of course Light is a big deal to God! Light is Jesus Christ!! Yep, I am hard resetting to be a Light Walker!  Mark Atteberry gives all of us wanna-be Light Walkers further perspective in his book, Walking with God on the Road You Never Wanted to Travel:

"There are lots of transparent people who seem oblivious to the Light. 

There are countless translucent people who make the Light very confusing. 

There are even more opaque people who are dead set against the Light. 

But Praise God, there are a few mirror-like people who reflect the Light." 

Lord God, Help us to be Light Walkers and reflections of the Christ that lives in each of us. Shine Your light on every crack and crevice of our lives. Expose any dark places that are not pleasing and acceptable in Your sight.  Holy Light, flood our hearts, minds and lives with Your grace, mercy and love til it spills over on the prevailing darkness of this sick and broken world.  Heal our land, Lord. Heal our world. In Jesus name, I pray. Amen