Four months into 2011.

Plenty of time to kick ourselves around

For falling short on all those New Years’ resolutions.

 

Halfway through Lent.

Plenty of time to give up on what we gave up for Lent.

Plenty of time to count our mistakes.

Plenty of time to give ourselves hell for letting heaven down.

 

But maybe it’s time to realize that Lent really isn’t All about us after all.

It isn’t about whether we can cross the line

of the 40-day marathon without once falling down.

 

It isn’t about our ability to scare ourselves straight.

It isn’t about our sheer will to stay on the straight and narrow.

I doubt that God even wants us to live such narrow lives

that we never make mistakes.

 

I mean, what fun is that?  Who learns from that?

Despite conventional wisdom, faith is not all about morality,

Good and bad, success and failure, crime and punishment.

 

It’s not all about what we do or don’t do.

It’s all about God, God’s goodness, God’s graciousness, God’s lovingkindness.

 

It’s about God’s desire to be in relationship with us,

God running down the road with open arms welcoming us back home

Even after we’ve wasted every gift we’ve ever been given

And abused every privilege we’ve ever inherited.

 

Faith is about being in love with the God who asks only this:

Love me, love my world, exult in my love for you, go in the ways of love.

 

Go in the ways of love.

Will that be a bed of roses?

Sometimes, yes, sometimes.

And sometimes it will be the way of the cross

(which isn’t, remember, the end of the road).

 

Either way, along the way,

The path is strewn with petals of love,

The air is heavy with the fragrance of joy,

And the wind rings with peals of laughter,

God’s laughter, the laughter of angels.

 

So let’s laugh, let’s dance, let’s be glad.

Because Lent is about God.

And God isn’t counting.

-Rev. Angie