Lent Day 31 March 28, 2012

Lenten Reflection for Day 31

Date: March 28, 2012

Author: Dan Affeldt

Bible Passage: Romans 5:3–5 (NRSV)

³ And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, ⁴ and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, ⁵ and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.

Reflection:

As I read these verses from Paul’s letter to the church in Rome, Charles Dickens’s line from “A Tale of Two Cities” just popped into my head;

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times . . . “

And I could not help but wonder if Paul might have written it this way;

“It was the worst of times, so it was the best of times . . “

Now I hardly think Paul was suggesting that we should go out and seek dire calamity so that we may heartily suffer and thus be able to boast.

But rather that, regardless of whatever “Painful Inheritances” become our burdens, we can indeed fully trust that God’s eternal love will pour into our hearts, guiding and sustaining us. And that through grace we will be led to peace, purpose, and hope, even amid turmoil, suffering, fear, grief and pain.

God's grace can guide us to be powerful even when we are weak. The power of God's grace can fill our lives as we seek to make our lives, and the lives of others, alive with hope. God's wondrous power can only salvage our lives when we allow, indeed when we welcome, his grace to reign in our lives. When this happens we are open to experience the peace of God.

Prayer: Dear Lord, our world so often bewilders me. What I hear and see is so far beyond my understanding; poverty and disease, deadly storms and earthquakes, war and killing, hunger and hopelessness; so many hearts bound by fear. Please strengthen my faith. Open my mind and my heart to your truth. Let compassion and love for my brothers and sisters flow from me and may we all be uplifted by your glory. Amen