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Read Joel 2:12-19
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12 "Yet even now," declares the Lord, "return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; 13 and rend your hearts and not your garments." Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster. 14 Who knows whether he will not turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, a grain offering and a drink offering for the Lord your God? 15 Blow the trumpet in Zion; consecrate a fast; call a solemn assembly; 16 gather the people. Consecrate the congregation; assemble the elders; gather the children, even nursing infants. Let the bridegroom leave his room, and the bride her chamber. 17 Between the vestibule and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep and say, "Spare your people, O Lord, and make not your heritage a reproach, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, 'Where is their God?'" 18 Then the Lord became jealous for his land and had pity on his people. 19 The Lord answered and said to his people, "Behold, I am sending to you grain, wine, and oil, and you will be satisfied; and I will no more make you a reproach among the nations.
Ash Wednesday. The Lenten pilgrimage begins. In repentance and faith, we travel with Jesus to the cross, pondering the amazing gifts that he gives to us in his life, suffering, death, burial, and resurrection. We remember and reflect.
For generations, many Christians have chosen to “give something up” for Lent. Beginning with fasting, many people today choose to give up some particular thing, intending that this discipline helps them reflect on all that Christ did for them. If you choose to do this, God bless you in your Lenten walk.
But perhaps we might also take something up for Lent. Find a new area of service, expand a spiritual discipline, spend more time in Scripture and prayer. This, too, can focus our attention.
We invite you to join us this Lent in reading through the Gospel of Mark with us. Each weekday and Saturday will have a portion of Mark’s Gospel to read along with a devotional reflection by Concordia University Irvine’s campus pastor, Rev. Quinton Anderson. We hope this will be a blessing to you this Lent as, together, we return to the Lord our God and walk with Jesus.