As a child I thought Lent was the worst part of the church year. Growing up in Wisconsin, Ash Wednesday always seemed to hit in the doldrums of winter, when snow turned grey and mid-week Lenten services started after dark. After a long day at school, we’d ride the bus home, eat a quick dinner, and immediately return to our school campus to attend a church service filled with music in minor keys and messages of our sinfulness and our brokenness. Trying to keep my eyes open was hard enough, but the tone, the mood, and the timing of the service made it nearly impossible to stay awake.

Lent’s place in the church calendar gives us the opportunity to remember our sinfulness and brokenness, and to understand the hopelessness we would have if we were left to save ourselves. This is a painful enough truth on its own, but, this year, because of the events of the months leading up to Lent coupled with the lack of community, the cancellation of services and the isolation of online viewing, I have once again bought into the lie that I can get myself out of my sinful situation alone.

When we look deep into our own lives and we see the depths of our sin, we also see how amazing the grace of God is. The reality is that we are rescued and ransomed by a loving God, who gathers His people in the church to be a community, and to know that we do not face these realities alone. I pray that your brothers and sisters in faith are able to comfort you during this season, that they would point you to Good Friday and to the Easter season and to the goodness and grace of God. 

Pastor Joseph Robb