First Lutheran Church
A good Lenten question comes from Jesus: "Why do you see the speck in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log in your own?" We know how that is, and we appreciate the tone of this Lenten season which invites us to take that inward look. Sometimes we become critical of the inward look and call it "navel gazing." Especially during Lent, we are mindful that this is a very appropriate kind of look. With the inward look, we become aware of the multiple logs that can jam at our own being. We seek the power of the risen Lord to have at those jams. It is only as the Lord does his work in our lives that we are able to be for others as we should be. With fresh reminder of the difficulties we present with our own log jams, we become more humble and patient with the log jams of those around us.
Lent we might think of it as "logging time." We live in a time with no shortage of "jams." May we address it all in good order. Take the inward look first to locate and identify our own jams. Take the upward look to call upon the Lord for untangling and resolution. Finally, we will be ready for that outward look rooted in the humility of what we have discovered in the first two looks. Blessings on your Lenten journey!