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I wish we could start many things (other than mornings) early. Spring comes to mind. I don't know about you but I am starting to hate this FREEZING weather. I wish the sun would come out, warm us up, and bring back the flowers. If spring would hurry up, maybe I could find the time to squeeze a round of golf (or 17 rounds). If spring would hurry up, maybe my power bill would go down. Hurry up spring! I don't know about you but I'm pulling for the groundhog this year. Oh well, spring will come in its own time. I cannot make it come early even if I try.

Without an early spring, Lent is going to feel odd this year. Normally, Lent begins in late winter, and goes through early spring. This year Lent begins very early, February 6. For those who are unfamiliar with Lent, it is the season of personal and corporate reflection that comes before Easter. Lent is a time when we look carefully at our lives to see how we can make them more in tune with the Gospel, and with the God who loves us. It is based on the period of time that Jesus spent in the wilderness in fasting and prayer. Many members of our congregation have found great joy in the discipline of fasting. These persons will give up something important to them for the period in order to draw closer to God.

Yet this can lead to some confusion. Our fasting is not for becoming more acceptable or loveable to God. We cannot. No fasting, praying, serving, working, witnessing, or any other behavior will make us more acceptable to God. We are already accepted. Our model for Lent, Jesus in the wilderness shows us something completely different. According to the first three Gospels, it was immediately after Jesus' baptism that He was driven into the wilderness. Do you remember the story of Jesus' baptism? It was there when the voice of God spoke and said that God was "well-pleased." No other declaration could be more important to Jesus. No declaration could be more important to us.

It is not because of our holiness that God is "well-pleased" with us. It is because God is "well-pleased" with us that holiness is possible. Let that sink in for a moment. God loves you, period. Wherever you are, whatever you are doing, and whatever you have done. Nothing in life—sickness, distress, sadness, danger—or death can change that fact.