Wonderfully Made (02/26/2026)

This morning as I tried to get started, I caught a glimpse of myself and my numerous imperfections and I couldn’t help but ask the image in the mirror, “When did that happen?”  But as I pondered the situation prayerfully, I recognized that while the world may not recognize it at first glance, including myself, I am wonderfully made by a loving creator and LORD. And I pray that I can come to see myself more as Christ sees me.

I’ve had my years when I tried to fix my external self with heels to get me above 5’ and hair dyes to make my tresses more spectacular. I’ve come to realize though with age that those elements don’t really change me in the way the LORD calls me to change. The changes I need to focus on if I’m thinking a global overhaul is necessary are the internal elements, the way I think, the things I focus on, the way I choose to spend my time and share my gifts. Thankfully, there’s Lent.

And this Lent is giving me that opportunity again to do something about the things that separate me from my LORD, the internal elements of my discipleship and stewardship. It calls me to longer and more frequent prayer, time with my LORD, the fount and source of all loving goodness. It calls me to deny myself, to set aside my self-centeredness, and instead pick up my cross, the symbol of loving goodness born for love of others, and find ways to give to others from my gifts, my time, my treasure, myself. And last of all, Lent calls me to identify those things I’ve picked up that get in my way of fully embracing my LORD, things like mindless computer time.

Lent reminds me that the LORD created me and wants me to have life in abundance. It is a time to remember the extent to which my loving LORD went to offer me that through Christ’s salvific mission that led to Calvary but didn’t end there. It is a time that I am given reason to look closely at myself and what is keeping me from following Him wholly.

During this first full week of Lent, I see that I am making some progress. To another, I may look like a complete mess, but I’m working here, with the help of the Spirit, on getting myself together so that I might more fully and more perfectly offer myself and my love to my LORD. I’m not a done muffin yet, that’s for sure. But that’s one of the things I love about the LORD’s divine design, He doesn’t want me to be, not yet. He is still inviting me to change, to conversion.

As we continue our Lenten journeys, let us focus on the elements of our lives and ourselves that the LORD is calling us to change to grow our relationship with Him and with one another. Let us give thanks for being wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14) and seek the Spirit’s guidance on bringing that to bear fruit for love of our LORD and one another.

Until tomorrow, let us all love well.