A Tiring Walk

Galatians 6:6-10 and Mark 14:35-36
3rd Week in Lent
Lent is the season of the church’s life that begins on Ash Wednesday and moves toward Easter Sunday. Lent, like Advent, is a time of waiting – a time of preparation. Jesus’ time of preparation for His earthly ministry began with 40 days in the desert. Lent is desert-time for the church. A time of refreshing or the beginning of something new is often preceded by time in the desert. During Lent, we enter into our own private desert of contemplation. Many churches do not observe the season of Lent and some observe it in a perfunctory manner. Both miss out on a profound opportunity as a church to be in a time of expectant waiting – together. The Christian life is not always “beautiful” – there are times of deep pain and sorrow as well – our times in the desert. The desert is quiet – it allows us time to contemplate deeper things individually and corporately as we come together to worship.