In the fading gray of a late winter day, Lent arrives. I’m a Lent pretender—never fully committed to its journey. A presumed Christian shouldn’t make that admission.
Even with regular church attendance growing up, Lent didn’t make much of an impression on me. But, I do remember Easter Sunday with the never forgotten family gathering for lunch.
Last year, I turned seventy. I think about the past and the future.
My trips into the past remind me of my mother and father. I know through their families, they learned from experience about hardships, sacrifice, and hope. I feel certain there were many days when Micah 7:7 was all they had: “But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.” Those words must have been embedded deep in their souls.
I wonder if Mary and Joseph understood the the last days of their son’s journey? I wonder if they lost the hope found in the words from Micah?
Some days, work overwhelms me. Hope disappears. I can say the same when a troubling news story breaks. My hope sinks.
But, then there are those out of the blue days, unexplainable days when something good happens, and my faith, my hope returns.
Why is that?
My answer—as troubling as we can be, God and Jesus never give up hope in us.
Prayer: God and Jesus, may we never lose our eternal hope. Amen
Bill Pike
Richmond, Virginia
Author’s note: I was honored to have this piece published in the Society of St. Andrew’s Daily Lenten Devotional on Monday, March 4, 2024.
might be baloney 
Congratulations, Bill, on the publication. It’s a beautiful devotional – as always!
??CAROL ?Carol C. Wampler 1636 Fox Downs Lane Oilville, Virginia 23129 ________________________________
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Carol, thanks for the reading time, and the kind comment.
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