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Jesus is in Sight!
From Joel 2: 1-2; 12-17: Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming, it is near— a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness! Like blackness spread upon the mountains a great and powerful army comes; their like has never been from of old, nor will be again after them in ages to come. Yet even now, says the Lord, return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;rend your hearts and not your clothing. Return to the Lord, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and relents from punishing. 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? Blow the trumpet in Zion; sanctify a fast; call a solemn assembly; gather the people. Sanctify the congregation; assemble the aged; gather the children, even infants at the breast. Let the bridegroom leave his room, and the bride her canopy. Between the vestibule and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep. Let them say, "Spare your people, O Lord, and do not make your heritage a mockery, a byword among the nations. Why should it be said among the peoples, "Where is their God?' "
As quiet as we make Lent out to be, our silent observation of spiritual disciplines should shout out the glory of God in our actions and attitudes. Our return to God should involve every aspect of our being, starting with our love, and not just for God, but for all people; our fasting, what we have taken up should include doing for others and being aware of others; our emotions, yes, weep for the injustices we see and read about, mourn with those who mourn; inwardly show God you're sincere and mean what you are trying to and be.
As people may wonder or ask, "Where is God," they should be able to see Him in us. Anything or anyone else is a sham. Lent is real. And so should we be.
PRAYER: Let me be real in every aspect of my being; remove what is evil and bad, guide me to the pure and good; let my life shout that I belong to You, O Living God. Amen!
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
