Looking towards Lent

The monthly Blue Springs Board of Aldermen meeting was tonight. We had several members of the community who came as guests. They were interested in knowing about ordinances and wondered how they could keep informed if new laws and ordinances were being made. One nice lady wisely said, "I'm a law abiding citizen but I've realized if I don't know what the law is, I can't abide by it."

Well said! We explained the way things worked as well as the system for public notification. Our attorney explained that there were laws in place that governed the entire process. In our little town, we try hard to be sure we obey the law in the way we do business. It makes everything run smoother. 

After the meeting, I was thinking about how well our system works. There are checks and balances in place, but public participation works as a kind of check and balance, as well. I'm glad to see people be a part of the process (especially before a decision is reached rather than afte ).  In general, we have a great system of government that works because it's of the people, by the people, and for the people.  Citizen involvement is a critical part of the process, but it's surprising to me how few citizens actually get involved or bother to stay abreast of current law. 

I'm often surprised by how little many Christians actually know about God's Word. I feel like the lady who came to our meeting. I want to obey God's law and live the way He wants, but I can't do that if I don't know what He expects. That's why Bible study is so important. It's why you will often see a Greek word study in my morning devotions. I want to be sure that my teachings are as clear and accurate as possible so that those who read what I write will have a clear understanding of what God expects from us. 

With all that said, I've been thinking about the Lenten season. Christmas is really important, but Easter is where Christianity draws it's meaning. In fact, without Easter, there is no meaning. That's a pretty bold statement, I guess, but it's true. Over the next forty days (the Lenten season), I will be writing more evening devotions than confessions. I've spoken extensively over the years on the subjects of prayer and fasting. You can expect some evening lessons on fasting, as well as some posts about the journey to the cross. My goal is to help us understand what Lent is all about, what the cross means to us, and why resurrection is so critical to our faith. 

I realize today is Fat Tuesday and people use it as an excuse to indulge in all kinds of excess, but let me suggest you use this evening to consider a 40-day journey to the cross. Start with me tomorrow as we look deeper at this Jesus who came to earth in order to go to the cross. I'm praying this will be your best Easter ever because you will see resurrection morning in a whole new way. I can hardly wait!