Lent Day 21: A Gray Day

The day was gray. The air was heavy. I felt sad. Today, I was aware of how hard life can be. There wasn't anything particularly bad that happened today. I live with deep gratitude for all the blessings in my life. But still, I  think of all the difficult roads we must travel in life. I see people in my life with difficult paths and I pray with deep earnestness for God to come along side them and to carry them through the hard times.

Then, tonight at band practice we sang a song that lifted my spirits --

I came to the swift, raging river, And the roar held the echo of fear;
“Oh Lord, give me wings to fly over, If You are, as You promised, quite near.”
But He said, “Trust the grace I am giving, All-pervasive, sufficient for you.
Take my hand, we will face this together; But My plan is – not over, but through.”

Lent is about trusting in God's Grace in the moments that feel darkest, knowing that beyond there is a promise of Easter. A promise of renewal, of peace, of joy, of love, of hope. Those first green shoots poking up announcing the coming of spring remind me of the new life of Easter just around the corner. And I have hope.