Lent

Connecting With Jesus

Joel Adams

In February the Church enters a time of Lent, which begins 40 days prior to Easter.  This year, Lent falls on February 17th and our first Sunday of Lent is February 21st.  This can be a wonderful time of connecting with Jesus and deepening our lives with his journey to the cross.  Many choose to give up something as a sacrifice, with the intent of sharing in or showing gratitude for our savior’s walk and ultimate death on the cross.  Other’s take certain actions during this time that put aside our own desires and lift up or help others in need.  There are many who devote moments throughout the day for prayer and scripture reading.  As we consider what Lent could mean to each of us this year, I love C.S. Lewis’s profound and spot on definition.  A season of a kind of “happiness and wonder that makes you serious”.  We know the incredible gift of salvation and there is a sense of awe, appreciation, and reverence.  With this, we also know the resurrection and abundant life that is ours.  Lewis describes it perfectly.

Music is an incredible gift to help us connect and meditate on these wonders.  Those gifted with music and charged in playing, singing, directing, arranging, and composing have a most important task before them.  Music can manipulate in a bad way, but when used for the edification of people and toward “good things” it lifts in transformational ways.  Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote “Music… will help dissolve your perplexities and purify your character and sensibilities, and in time of care and sorrow, will keep a fountain of joy alive in you.”          

Our world and communities become “better” when music abounds.  When we use music to worship, glorify, and reinforce God’s words to us, our spirits are richened beyond what words alone can achieve. 

During this time of Lent, I sincerely hope you choose to dive in deep to Jesus’ journey to the cross and the music that helps you contemplate his love.

Lord, Who Throughout These Forty Days                         
by Claudia Hernaman, 1873

Lord, who throughout these forty days for us did fast and pray,                                              Teach us with you to mourn our sins and close by you to stay

As you with Satan did contend, and did the victory win,                                                             O give us strength in you to fight, in you to conquer sing.

As you did hunger and did thirst, so teach us, gracious Lord,                                                    To die to self, and so to live by your most holy Word.

And through these days of penitence, and through your Passiontide,                                      Forevermore, in life and death, O Lord, with us abide.

Abide with us, that through this life of doubts and hope and pain,                                          And Easter of unending joy we may at last attain.