God give me the desire to desire what you want me to desire.
The prayer removes any burden of responsibility that I (erroneously) may feel that I am required to decide today what would be an appropriate hope or practice for Lent.
We fool ourselves and we assert our own will if we think we can run through the list of possible options for Lent and choose for ourselves what to embrace. When we enter Lent that way, we are placing ourselves first, using our preferences and our plans, our time schedules and our own priorities to shape our participation in this Holy Season.
On the surface of this day are the Ashes. An external, visual reminder of our impermance. At the core of today is God's Love (God's desire for us) -- an internal reminder of our eternal (true) existence.
Where does a prayer that you can desire to desire what God wants you to desire take you? How can God's desire shape you this season?
Sink into what you know about God's love for you -- a love without limit or condition, a love so intense that God could not stand apart from you, a love that was and continues to be revealed in Christ.
Lent begins and ends with Love.
2 comments:
Reminds me of how apt I am to force my own will on God. Thanks for the reminder!
One of my friends said that it is easy to imagine God sitting there as we pray saying: You have already decided what to do -- why are you asking me now about this now?
How true....
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