Sermonette: March 27, 2023

On a long car trip comes the question from a child in the back seat, “Are we there yet?” Many of us around here these days look at the calendar, think about spring and ask, “Are we there yet?” We have received so much snow this year. It started early and it is still here. The calendar says it is spring but our streets and yards and fields sure don't look like it. Even the 10-day weather forecast says it isn't Spring yet. I am hoping that forecast is wrong. I want a change in our weather patterns.

This is a season of change; a season of transition. Except for season-ending national tournaments, basketball is over and locally we transition into track, golf and baseball. Those who like to fish will do so from boats instead of holes in the ice. The major league baseball season is about to start. Farmers and ranchers are anxious to get into their fields and for some, the calving season has already began. Eventually, instead of fields and yards and streets and highways covered with snow and ice, we will see green grass and leaves on the trees. We will be heading out the door and not have to stop and put on gloves and a coat, or start the car and let it warm up before we leave. Soon we will have robins and finches in our yards and bird feeders. Yep, we are in a season of change.

In the church calendar, we are in the season of Lent. That also can be a season of change. Lent is that season leading up to Easter. It is a time for self-reflection where we take stock of our lives and our relationship with God. But to tell the truth, we need to do more than that. Each week in church we confess our sins and ask God for forgiveness. We do that all year long, so what is so different about Lent? Lent is about repentance. We can say we are sorry all the time, but how meaningful is our declaration? Confession without repentance just doesn't cut it dear friends. Repentance is more than feeling sorry for our sins. Regardless of how sincere we are in our confession, if we have no intent to make an effort to change, how can we expect to receive forgiveness? In Psalm 51, David asks God, “Create in me a clean heart, O, God.” David knew that he was a sinner and knew that with sin in his heart, he wanted to change. He wanted to move away from sin and he asked God for help. We need to do likewise. This Lenten season let us all look at what is in our hearts. Do we need a clean heart? When we ask God to forgive us, let us also ask him for help and strength to resist Satan and his temptations. Let our desire to change be sincere. Both you and God will be happy you did. Blessings to you all.