Dear Friends,

On Wednesday 21st February, the period of Lent begins and I wonder what does Lent mean for you?  Part of the origins of Lent are found with the forty days that Jesus spent in the wilderness.  In our present age, many associate Lent as a time when people give up something like chocolate! 

The Salvation Army’s main website has been conducting a poll in which people are asked would they be giving up something for Lent for spiritual reasons, health reasons, other reasons or not all?  It was sad in a sense to see that at the time of writing this article over 58% who had responded were not going to give up anything.

Ultimately, I believe Lent can be important for our spiritual well being and of benefit in our relationship with God.  Lent can be a great

opportunity to look at our relationship and assess what priority do we give to the place that God has in our lives.  It is said that time is the most precious commodity today and so rather than giving up

something like chocolate perhaps Lent can be an opportunity for us to give up some extra time to God.  Maybe you will decide to get up half an hour early and read your Bible or a Christian book.  Maybe you will decide not to watch a TV programme and use that time instead.  I know someone who gave up watching the soaps a few years ago for Lent and they have never watched them since!

Neither should we look upon Lent with a sense of dread at the thought of giving up something.  Instead let us look upon it with a sense of joy that we can give this extra time to God.  After all, as Lent leads into Easter, we remember just how much Jesus gave up for us when He said, “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”  (Matthew 28:20 NIV)

I hope that this Lent period will mean something for you and will bring you much closer to the Lord.  Who knows, you might even start a

pattern that you will carry on with long after Lent finishes! 

May God bless you this Lent period.

Paul Wood

Captain