Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips,
and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips;
for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”
(Isaiah 6:5)
It seems in some circles that feeling bad about yourself is one of the greatest sins. With all our emphasis on giving children and other confidence and acceptance we put a lot of effort into building their self-image. By and large this is a positive emphasis, because we are accepted fully in Christ Jesus.
In the traditional practice of Lent, we have an emphasis on “just as I am, poor, wretched, blind.” And seeing ourselves as failures and worthless before God. The honest, spiritual inventory called in traditional Lent, should not be shied away from. For we must have an accurate diagnosis or assessment of our spiritual and ethical health before we can take measures to healthy living. Yet, we must also do and accurate spiritual inventory of our strengths lest we slide into despair.
So, in our self-examination of Lent let us think back to last Lent and see how we have improved, how we have overcome our flaws, and how we have become stronger in our faith. This is the encouragement of Lent. This makes Lent a season with the promise of building our self-image or self-understanding. It is not just a time to ask for God’s help in overcoming our deficiencies, but seeing how God’s power has helped us grow, develop, and mature in the past.
Pastor Greg
