I am writing today from what I call my little bear den. It is a cold day in the highlands of central Washington state, frigidly cold to the bones. We are trying to stay warm these days with many blankets, hot water bottles or warm baths before bed. The chicken water is frozen every day, so I make sure to bring fresh water daily to our four hens. The Americana hen has just started laying her blue-green eggs, just in time to give me a glimpse of spring joys in the dry dead of winter. Oh there are reminders everywhere of that resurrection season about to dawn upon us. But first, Lent.
A book that I plan to use for personal devotions this year is titled Bread & Wine: Readings for Lent & Easter. They are short reflections written by a variety of Christian authors such as Saint Augustine, Martin Luther, G.K. Chesterton, Christina Rossetti, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Amy Carmichael, and even, Wendell Berry. It is also time to start pondering which art piece I will feature in our family room above the mantel place. Art for the liturgical seasons brings a focal point to our family times, a reminder that we are living the Christian year, the story of our faith through time. My husband and I find that celebrating the church year is a rich tool the Christian church can use in discipleship, teaching and training our children to love and know Jesus, our Savior, to remember the events of our salvation, and to hold them before us throughout our lifetime as signposts of what God has accomplished.
I remember as a teenager a song that would play on the radio that became my theme song, Knowing You Jesus by British worship singer and songwriter, Graham Kendrick. This song was the cry of my heart… and every word was and is my desire. You can know Jesus.
Read these precious and powerful words from Scripture:
“But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.”
As the music from my teenage years plays, little flecks of snow swirl playfully on the wind, as if they are enjoying their light-hearted descent to the frozen ground of our backyard. I have cushioned the henhouse with extra pine shavings, brought them a treat of dried worms, and am about to start some dinner prep for my family. I hope you are keeping warm in your part of the world, filling your home with good music and joyful song, and making preparations for your heart this upcoming Lenten season, and for the hearts of those in your care. Let them know the most important thing in their life, that they can know their Creator and receive adoption into God’s family by faith in Jesus.
“Knowing you, Jesus, Knowing you, there is no greater thing... you’re my joy, my righteousness, and I love you, Lord.”