Lent

The mystery of Lent lies in grief. We make time to see the truth of our lives- the chaos, the misplaced energies, the losses we glazed over. It’s easy to get lost in the darkness of Lent, to feel overwhelmed by all the things we’ve ignored or brushed under the rug. During the Lenten season, time is built in to practice confession.

Confession is one of the most misunderstood disciplines of the Christian life. The Greek word for confession is homologeo, which means “to speak the same.” In other words, to confess means I concede that something is factual or true.

Confession is NOT a promise never to commit sin again. It is also not a way to receive forgiveness- the finished work of the cross produced forgiveness! Confession is never dependent on me, but it’s always dependent on Christ.

Psalm 32:5-7

⁵Then I acknowledged my sin to you
    and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, “I will confess
    my transgressions to the Lord.”
And you forgave
    the guilt of my sin.

⁶Therefore let all the faithful pray to you
    while you may be found;
surely the rising of the mighty waters
    will not reach them.
⁷You are my hiding place;
    you will protect me from trouble
    and surround me with songs of deliverance.

Confession helps us be rid of guilt. It’s the practice of repentance. To repent just means to turn around. When we turn around we see the truth, that Jesus doesn’t leave us even when our life’s a mess. Jesus is our hiding place when we are in trouble. And all along, He was singing over us. Confession is the art of celebration, the art of opening our eyes and ears to see the Presence of God with us, and the heart of God singing to us.

Confess- by Jessica Briggs

I just need to turn
And see your face of Love
As I doubt
When I am fed up
When I am harsh
As the anger fills me up.

I just need to turn
And see your face of Love
As i make verdicts
When I sort them
When I am hate-filled
As the hurts blind me.

I just need to turn
And see your face of Love
As I’m free
When I don’t deserve it
When I am unworthy
As the grace washes over me.

I just need to turn
And see your face of Love
As I’m made new
When I hear your songs
When I see you’re near
As the guilt leaves me.

Many people in the Christian tradition follow the practice of Lent. Traditionally, lent involved giving up of something, so many modern versions usually involve fasting from social media, instead of food.

But what if we decided not to avoid or give up things this season, but rather to open our eyes to the Presence of God in our everyday, ordinary lives- online and off?

I put together a resource to help do that- a simple photo a day challenge on Instagram, along with a daily complimentary scripture. I’d love to see you join me in this! I can’t wait to see the ways your eyes see Jesus this Lenten season.

Follow me on Instagram: @eyestoseeblog and post your own pictures for the daily themes, using hashtags #lentphotos2020, #lentthruthelens2020 and tagging me! I’d love to feature you in my daily stories <3

Lenten Reflections: Confession

Lent 2020