A Prayer for the Beginning of Lent

O Lord, here we are again.

The season of Lent.

That time of the year to dig deeper

To reach wider

To love stronger.

The season of Lent

That time to embrace death

To walk towards the cross

To humble ourselves

To pray, fast, and give our lives in service.

The season of Lent

A time to give up or to take on

A time to contemplate life and death

A time to face the realities of our broken world

A time to dance with the darkness.

The season of Lent.

In these days be with us.

Walk with us.

Inspire us.

Call us.

Motivate us.

In these days be with us.

To serve our neighbors.

To sing in community.

To wrestle with your Word.

To sit in the silence.

O Lord, here we are again.

I pray for your kingdom to come

For peace to rule the day

For wholeness to emerge

I seek this peace for the world and pray I’ll find it in me.

I know the days will seem long and the nights even longer.

But you persisted for 40 days in the wilderness

And so, too, will I persist.

As you relentlessly love, may I relentlessly seek you.

For this season of Lent and forever more.

Come, Lord Jesus.

I am here.

Waiting.

Hoping.

Loving.

Seeking you.

Amen.

Kimberly Knowle-Zeller (TheEpiscopalCafe.com)