Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for his is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity (Joel 2:3 NIV).

The children of Israel were threatened with pestilence and calamity unless they turned to God and repented of their sins. Fear of locusts and fire drew them to their knees knowing that their lives would be miserable if they didn't. A typical sign of this repentance and mourning was the tearing of clothes and wearing of ashes. I believe, however, that God was calling them to an inward change, not just an outward sign - to a relationship and not a religion.

These days the "calamity" we fear may be the removal of blessings, the breaking of relationships or something else that will happen if we don't turn to God. We struggle today as they did in the days of Joel...to make ourselves "right" with God through routine rather than reliance. I believe that we have gotten into the same rut as the children of Israel did - fearing pestilence instead of desiring relationship. We make declarations on New Year's Eve of changes we'll adhere to. At Lent, we give up something - some hoping to be more "righteous" through the act. We do all kinds of things to show our devotion - all of which are fine if they are the byproduct of who are are.

My family never celebrated Lent so although I knew the history behind the season, I never went to a service or felt compelled to give up anything. This past spring, several staff members went to a local church for an Ash Wednesday service and I eagerly joined them. The Scriptures that were read, especially the cry from Joel, fascinated me. Not because I disagree with giving things up outwardly but because I never considered Lent to be a season to give up things internally. There are definite physical things I could restrain from like coffee, food, phone, etc. However, I never knew the depths of the internal possessions I needed to release. For the first time, Lent became truly personal to me. God was calling me to a deeper relationship with Himself. I'm realizing that those things I've committed to Him are much harder to release than any physical addictions I've ever had! Like giving up chocolate and realizing the world is full of it, I've seen more in my heart than I ever thought was there. I am so thankful that I serve a God that is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. One who wants relationship with me and lovingly calls me deeper.

-Christi Garling

My prayer is that Lent would be a state of heart and not a season. That the outward acts in my life would be signs of inward growth and not simply religious rituals.