Devotional Message

A young man who is wise beyond his years shared a very inspiring idea with me this week.  He noted that the church puts a lot of emphasis on the forty-day period between Ash Wednesday and Easter.  This period, known as Lent, is a time of reflection and repentance, a time to relinquish the sins and guilt and shame that we too easily carry.  The aim of this forty-day period is to prepare ourselves for the joy of Easter.

But this young man asked me about the next forty-day period, the time between Easter and Pentecost.  We don't talk about preparing for Pentecost or what that might look like.  What would it look like if this next season of the church calendar was devoted to taking on something positive in our lives or seeking to sustain the joy we experience on Easter morning?  Perhaps this might mean finding at least one reason to laugh each day, or to look at those we encounter throughout the day and offer them a warm smile, or to do some quiet deed of caring for someone each day.  The possibilities are endless!  As I pondered his idea, it seemed like a great way to keep the spirit of Easter joy alive within our hearts.  And, like the changes we made during Lent, these positive changes may create a spirit of joy that continues throughout our lives.

So, what do you think?  What joyful task would you like to begin in this Easter season?

Peace and blessings,
Howard