Lenten spiritual practices invite us to encounter, experience the flow of God’s unspeakable grace
By David L. Miller
“There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,” the psalmist writes (Psalm 46:4).
There is a “river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and the lamb through the middle of the city,” watering the tree of life whose leaves are for the healing of the nations (Revelation 22:1-2).
There are “rivers of living water … gushing up” in our souls, bearing us into the mysterious fullness of eternal life, even here and now (John 4:14; 7:38).
T
he river of God’s life and love bursts from the bottom- less spring of grace and flows through every moment of time. Falling in the river is what Lent
is for. As a boy, I remember the dirge
of Lenten hymns and the call of pastors for self-examination for the manifold sins that surely stuck to the flesh, though I could seldom name many. The weekly confession served as a reminder that we are all “sinful and unclean.” I needed to repent from sinful
Miller is pastor of St. Timothy Lutheran Church, Naperville, Ill. He was on the staff of The Lutheran from 1988 to 2005, the last six years as editor. He is the author of Friendship with Jesus: A Way to Pray the Gospel of Mark; Book of Faith Lenten Journey: Marks of the Christian; and Book of Faith: Ephesians, all published by Augsburg Fortress.
20 The Lutheran •
www.thelutheran.org
Falling into the river
NICK KIRIAZIS
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