Lent: A Call to Renewal
The season of Lent is often associated with the somber disciplines of fasting and abstinence. However, Lent is less about what we give up and more about what we receive: a renewed heart, a transformed mind, and an eternal perspective. Scripture presents Lent not as a period of mere ritual, but as a spiritual “spring cleaning” where the debris of the world is cleared away to make room for the glory of God. Internal Cleansing (Psalm 51 & Ezekiel 36:24-36) True renewal begins with a realization of our need for cleansing. In Psalm 51, David’s cry, “Create in me a clean heart, O God,” reveals that we cannot fix ourselves. The sin might be of our own marring, but the heart must be of God’s making. Lent is a time to stop trying to patch our old nature and instead ask for a new creation. This internal work is confirmed in Ezekiel 36, where God promises to sprinkle clean water upon His people and replace their “stony hearts” with “hearts of flesh.” This is a work of sovereign grace. The “st...
