Lenten Devotional - Day Three

Scripture: Psalm 22:6-11

“But I am a worm, and not human; scorned by others, and despised by the people. All who see me mock at me; they make mouths at me, they shake their heads; ‘Commit your cause to the LORD; let him deliver— let him rescue the one in whom he delights!’" (Ps. 22:6-8)

  I remember the beginning of basketball season one year when I was in junior high. I’d been out of shape and the constant running meant that my feet were blistered and raw after the first practice. I knew the next day was going to be torture. I needed to get back in shape. That’s what sports practices are for, right? A time to get stronger and practice skills so that when the big game comes, we are ready.

  Lent is a practice time, too. We take up differing spiritual disciplines knowing that Jesus is heading for the cross. It’s a dark, foreboding time in the church year with Good Friday and Holy Saturday being the darkest of all. Today, we practice trusting that God is at work in the difficult times. 

  In Lent, we are reminded that there are seasons in the church year and seasons in our lives. Some of those seasons are joyous and exciting—we get married, we have children or grandchildren, or we retire. Jesus had good seasons early in his ministry. He was successful and was making a difference in the world.

  But seasons change, even for Jesus. Some of our seasons are dark. We suffer as we watch loved ones make bad decisions or we succumb to the addictions we are trying to overcome. Jesus knows our suffering. Even the perfect Son of God undergoes suffering on the cross. Jesus has been to the dark places. He’s been scorned, despised and mocked.

  All of us feel like that worm the Psalmist writes about at one time or another, wiggling blindly through life. Therefore, we need the practice of Lent and Holy Week. We need the Lenten practices so that when our season comes, we are prepared for the difficult times.

  Lent is our annual practice of seeing God at work in the dark and in the suffering because it doesn’t come naturally to most of us. We need to practice having faith in darkness so that when our season of struggle comes we can trust that God is there—even if the proof of God’s presence is not.

  For the great promise of the Christian gospel is not one of one glittery success after another, but a life of purpose and meaning. The reward of a faithfully lived life in Christ is not ease but God walking with us in the valley of the shadow of death. It’s the promise that no matter how dark the night. Jesus is there with us. Jesus knows our suffering. Jesus loves us where we are and how we are. It’s the promise that it’s not the darkness that is eternal, but the light that is just below the horizon.

Sue Washburn, Contributor

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