In two days, I will step into the season of Lent again. So will you. We will worship on Ash Wednesday. We will see a cross prominently set in our sanctuaries. In our church, we will even hand out cross necklaces for each worshiper. We will hear about Jesus' death to and for our sins. Perhaps we will be revolted by that thought. Or, perhaps the thought of Jesus dying on a cross- no matter its meaning to you- will not seem striking but rather will seem consistent with how we know God from week to week or even day to day.
Over coffee with a friend last week, I was asked, "Why are you Lutheran?" I was taken aback; I hadn't anticipated the question. We were discussing this person's life journey and recent new awarenesses and also struggles. After a moment of "hemming and hawing," my answer was, "Because of grace." Grace from God through Jesus' death on the cross for the sake of redeeming and saving humanity is not only for Lutherans, of course. But Lutherans have a unique understanding of it. Lutherans see it as central. Grace is at the heart of God's entire way with the world and with us. In the cross, no matter what other actions on God's part you see- conviction of our sinfulness, God's power to put our sins and sin to death, God's mighty act of conquest over the evil of the world, God's call of us to follow our Savior by also faithfully bearing our own cross, the sense that Jesus has been the sacrificial lamb in the place of us- you and I must see the grace of love for us that is in the heart of God. In the end, grace toward us from God saves us. It is the prime mover of every second of our lives. It is God's force of life inherent in every moment. It is the light that shines in the darkness that the darkness can never overcome. It grasps us, loves us beyond measure, does what it needs to do to rescue us time and again from what hurts us and treasures and keeps us reconciled with God. No matter what you and I see in the cross that God reveals to us, His grace for us envelopes it all...and envelopes us. I firmly believe God wants to live these days with us in this way. Praise and thanks be to God, through Jesus, in our Lenten journey. Blessings to you as you follow in grateful faith.
