Read: 2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10

“As God’s co-workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. For he says, ’In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.’ I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.” – 2 Corinthians 6:1-2

I usually love Lent and Ash Wednesday, but I am having a really hard time getting excited about them this year. As I am writing this reflection in late January, Lent feels more like an imposition than a season of spiritual preparation. Eating, for example, is already hard enough for me with food sensitivities, and the thought of having to restrict it even further on Ash Wednesday and Fridays during Lent (as is the practice of most of my friends) is not making me happy. Giving something up for Lent this year? Yeah, not happening. I’m already suffering enough with other things going on in my life. Taking something else on? Lord, I’m busy enough as it is!

It is probably a good thing that Lent is not about me. It is about growing close to Jesus, and that is a journey. There are going to be days when I make progress on that journey, and there are going to be other times when I feel like I cannot take another step. Today is the day of salvation because today we take that first step on that journey toward God. It might be just one step, or it might be a mile on the journey, and it gives me hope that God gives us credit for making progress on the journey no matter how small that distance is.

Lord, please help me to remember that you meet us where we are, not where we “should” be. Amen.
–Jen McCabe

As I am sitting here writing this at the beginning of February, there are so many parts of my life where I need hope badly right now. Will I ever find another job? Will Daniel’s care ever get easier? Will scenes of suffering in Gaza ever stop popping up on my Instagram or TikTok? Will this stupid sinus infection ever go away?

Merriam-Webster.Com defines hope as “to cherish a desire with anticipation; to want something to happen or be true.” There are so many things that we want to be true in this world, and we look to God to fulfill those things. Some things are fulfilled because they fit into the Master Plan, and some things never get fulfilled because it may not be God’s will or it may be something we want that would be detrimental for us to have. Still, we wait in anticipation because the future is full of possibilities.

As I pondered ideas for the Advent devotional book, the word “hope” popped into my head. When I got hit with COVID-19 in late September, plans for a devotional book were put on hold until Lent. The idea of “hope” fits into Lent as we are drawing close to Jesus and preparing for Easter. Jesus’ death on the Cross means life for us, and that is a hope for which all of us long as Christians.

This Lent, we are looking at the epistle reading each week. Each reflection begins with a passage to read, usually a verse from that passage pertaining to hope, a short reflection, and a prayer at the end. With the exception of the week of Ash Wednesday and Holy Week, there are seven reflections on the same passage by different people. The name of this book, “Hope to Carry On”, comes from a song by the late Christian artist Rich Mullins which was covered by the band Caedmon’s Call twenty-five years ago.

As always, we have a playlist of music centered around the theme for this year. You can find it here.

We wish you a blessed season of Lent.
-Jen McCabe