As I mentioned in my last post, I have been reading the Lenten Triodion a bit each day. It is a rich resource of beautiful hymns and verses. Today it proved to be ever so rich yet again.
We have come to the end of our first week of Great Lent. It was a beautiful week full of lovely services and a turn to completely change the pace of life to stop and focus on that one thing needful. Him Who came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am first, is that focus. I long for my heart to bend and bow, mold and form to Him and His awesome love. Ultimately, love is the answer and He shows us the most perfect love.
Whenever one sets out on a spiritual journey it is a given that it will not go without opposing forces working overtime to try and make you fall. It is just going to happen. We need to gird ourselves for the battle.
It can be fierce, but God is all powerful and if we call on Him, He will give us strength to carry on.
My week became quite hairy and challenging in many ways and there were moments of darkness. In the past I had a tendency to let it get it’s way with me bringing me down into the gulf of darkness but for once I chose a new path. For once I recognized the battle for what it was and realized I had choice to make and I could fight against it by the grace of God.
I called on Him for strength and mercy! This reminds me of a post from August last year where I posted this “reminder”…
I needed to take action so I picked up my Lenten Triodion to find something that could break me through this darkness, as I prayed to God “Lord have mercy on me.”
God never fails.
He brought me this…
“Leaping up with joy, let us and all the faithful cry aloud today: How marvelous are Thy works, O Christ!”
How marvelous are Thy works indeed!
I am ever so grateful for this past week, valley’s and all, because it is in those times we “bend and bow, mold and form to Him and His awesome love”.
Kindler of Joy! 