The Sunrise of Lent

         I recently attended First Baptist Church here in Statesville. Dr. Jeff Porter and the congregation were welcoming as always and the worship experience was meaningful. One of the most powerful aspects of the service was a cross that stood in the sanctuary. An ugly cross, covered with a wire-like material with little strips of paper on it adorned the beautiful sanctuary. As I walked into the sanctuary I was confused as to what those pieces of paper meant, and it all became clear during the service.

            As the choir sang a song, the congregation was invited to write a prayer, something that was troubling them and take it to the cross and leave it there. Not just leave there physically, but spiritually as well. The spiritual practice of letting go, the physical action of an inward sign was a beautiful image during this not so beautiful time of Lent.

            We who claim the name of Christian must never forget the spiritual practice of leaving our troubles and trials at the cross. If we had our way, our Jesus would be beautiful, in stunning white, and a wonderful sign of the kingdom of God coming to earth. But the Jesus we know, the Jesus who loves us, took to a cross, took to ugliness and nakedness so we might experience the kingdom of God.

            Friends this life of faith is not one that is easy, but the cross of Christ calls us to newness, to beauty, to life. So whenever we are caught amidst the storms of life, we can say as the old hymn goes,  “I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it some day for a crown.”

            This week, try the spiritual art of letting go. Maybe it’s a financial issue that has been eating away at you, or a relationship problem that has caused you to question your faith, remember that if you take it to that ugly cross, God takes that and resurrects us. So come Easter we find new meaning in the beauty of that sunrise. One of my friends recently asked me for proof of God, and what came to mind is that beautiful Easter morning that we all come together as a community, as we watch the sunrise, as we experience grace. God is grace, God is love, and God is present in the sunrise of that Easter morning.

            Let me put it this way, we are simply drops in the ocean, miniscule beings on the road of existence. But God, the God of the big picture came and became small. God died so that we might live. The God of the universe became the miniscule being so we might say on Easter morning that joy has won. So as we continue throughout this Lenten darkness, let’s find the beauty of that Easter morning. Thanks be to God.