Lent Day 8 - Going Deep

If anyone wants to learn - really understand - anything - requires serious study - research.  In serious research students spend hours getting to the root - basis of their focus.  Too often in Lent when asked a person's Lenten intention - the answer very superficial.   Giving up chocolate - smoking - television - certain activities - interesting - very superficial.  Somebody needs to explain to me how giving up any of the things listed above ensures entrance to heaven.  Except for smoking - that will help extend your life span - how do any of those make you a better person - a better Christian?   These superficial things are easy to identify because these are things closely ingrained in our daily lives.  The real focus - if honest - needs a much deeper look into who we are - our deepest fears - hopes - desires - the things that we would do "if".   If we could do one thing - if we had the money - if we had the time - if we had zero limitations - restrictions - what if.

Prayer done with - no time restriction - no distractions - with the proper mindset - allows all of us to dive deeply into the ocean of our being. In the depth of who we are - in the darkness of our lives - we see who we really are. The promises - the successes - the lies - the failures - the unrealized hopes - the good - bad - ugly. It is at that depth in that darkness - silence - we meet with God. We confess - we apologize - we ask - we receive. This Lent dare to be different. Forget the superficial and dive deep into your soul - with Jesus at your side - holding you in His arms - surrounding you with His presence - His love. Then you will be able to experience that "if" that has always bothered you. Now that "if" is right there at your finger tips hands held together - in deep prayer.

Deacon Dale