Including today (March 2, 2022 – Ash Wednesday), we’ve now entered a period of 95 days in which Christians focus on the two most important events in history: the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ for our salvation.

The season of Lent (which simply means “Spring”) is 40 days in length (not including Sundays). The 40 days of this season recall the 40 days that Jesus spent fasting in the wilderness and enduring spiritual battle against the devil (Luke 4:1-13). Other periods of 40 days or years in Bible times, include the 40 years that the Israelites spent in the wilderness in between Egypt and the Promised Land, and the 40 days that Goliath taunted Israel’s army. These were times of spiritual testing for God’s people.

Lent is a time for repentance and refinement in our Christian faith, which the Lord does through His Word and Holy Spirit. For many Christians, Lent is a time of spiritual discipline, especially fasting in remembrance of our Lord’s fasting in the wilderness. If you are fasting from anything this Lent, remember to do so in order to focus even more on Jesus, prayer, and Scripture.

The time of Lent mirrors our lives on this earth, a place of struggle, suffering, and sorrow. On this Ash Wednesday, a tragic and unjustified war is raging in Ukraine. Thousands of people are dying on both sides of the battle. As we see these heartbreaking events unfolding, we see such a glaring reminder of the need for every human heart to know and live according to the peace that only Jesus Christ brings through His life, death, and resurrection …

Lent is only a temporary season, though, just as we also trust that the sorrow and suffering of this life is temporary and will eventually be no more. As dark as life can be, the light of Easter IS coming!

The season of Easter (April 17-June 4, 2022) reminds God’s people year after year of why we have hope: our Lord Jesus lives and reigns over death, over the curse of sin, and over the scope of history.

Even as we enter Lent and renew our sights on Jesus’ suffering and death, we see beyond them to Jesus’ resurrection and victory.

Even as our world erupts in crisis and bloodshed, we pray for and seek to provide concrete support to those who are suffering, while also looking beyond this present darkness to the everlasting Easter which which we will experience when Jesus returns.

“Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20)