GLORY AND PRAISE
“Glory and Praise forever!”
It’s easy to lose track of where we are at this point in Lent. Much like the dog days of summer, we are in the deepest, darkest part of the season. Easter is still weeks away. Maybe we have been struggling to adhere to our Lenten promises. Maybe we’re simply tired of being in Lent. Either way, this can be a time where we lose sight of the goal; lose focus of what we’re called to do.
The Psalm today is an unusual reminder of joyfulness and hope within the Lenten season. It calls us to a posture of praise in a season that is often marked by darkness and despair. What does this mean for us? It’s not a call to repentance. Nor is it a call to renewal. More than anything, this is a reminder of something foundational for this season: building a relationship with God.
As we continue to follow Christ in His path toward Jerusalem this season, let us remember that even amidst the darkest of times, we are called to be in relationship with God. We are called to do what brings us to praise God. Maybe that means re-evaluating our Lenten promises. Maybe that means refocusing on what we initially promised. Wherever we are, the psalm today is a reminder of joy in the darkness. It is a glimmer of the Easter that is to come.
How am I being led to praise God this Lent? How is my Lenten promise helping me to grow?
Matt Keppel