Come and Search

Come and Search

By Julie Hawkins, Pastor of Ministry

This week, the Church enters a season called Lent.

For some of you, that word is familiar. For others, it may feel mysterious or unnecessary. So let’s begin simply.

Lent is the 40 days leading up to Easter. Just like Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness before he began his public ministry, Lent is a season of preparation. It’s a chance to prepare our hearts and make room for the celebration of Easter.

We live in a world that fills every margin. Even as I sit here, my phone pings notifications that steal my attention. Our time is filled with noise, news, schedules, opinions, work, school, pickups, and drop-offs. Lent gently asks: What if we cleared a little space on purpose to focus on what is most important?

Historically, Christians have used Lent to examine their hearts, confess sin, fast, pray, and refocus their lives around Jesus.

Now, this isn’t about spiritual theatrics or earning God’s love. It’s about returning to the One who already loves us. The One who settled our debt on the cross.

I find that during Lent, I experience the space to declutter by heart and search for God, be in Scripture, in silence, in the ordinary rhythms of my week. And the prophet Jeremiah reminds us that when we seek God with all of our heart, we will find him. Lent gives us the time and structure to pursue that promise.

One of the simplest ways that Christians have marked Lent is by giving something up, by fasting from something for 40 days. Fasting is not punishment. It’s an act of sacrifice and training. When we say no to something good, we create a hunger that reminds us of a deeper hunger.

Maybe you give up sugar. Or social media. Maybe you can give up unnecessary spending. Or background music in your car. Whatever it is, let the absence become a prayer. Every craving is a whispered prayer, “Lord, I want more of you.”

But Lent doesn’t have to be solely about subtraction. It can also be about addition.

Consider taking something on for the 40 days. A daily Psalm reading. Fifteen minutes of silence before the day begins. Or writing out a daily prayer.

Give up something. Take something on. And expect to meet God through it all.

Lent prepares so that we don’t walk toward Easter casually. We walk with intention, making the cross the center of our lives.

Now, this season will not be flashy. It will likely feel ordinary or dry. But remember, the wilderness is where we learn dependence, and where we are strengthened. Just as Jesus was strengthened.

So come and search for the Lord, honestly, humbly, expectantly.

Easter is coming. Resurrection will break in. But first, we slow down, prepare, and approach the Lord with open and expectant hands.

Julie