Ash Wednesday

I've always had the concept of penitence being "payment."  So the idea of penitence to me had been that i was "paying" for my sin.  That, of course, flies in the face of what Jesus did for us.


However, in looking it up, i find that my previous concept is not correct.  Penance/penitence is repentance - the desire to be forgiven.  

I don't really get the concept of "giving up" things for Lent.  When i was a child, the folks i knew who did that seemed to portray that they were paying for their sin, for being human, & (since it was other children) that it was a burden imposed on them by their parents & the church.  (So church this AM at 6 felt like one of those payments to me!) 

I do understand the concept of seeking the face of God, to walk more closely with God, & to seek to please God.  (Well, there is a lot of debate about whether we can please God, but i won't get into that.)


For Lent, i just want to bring myself to do what i've not been able to do before - have a daily devotional.  It probably won't look like what others do for a devotional, but that's ok.  I want to seek the foot of the cross each day & to be reminded of what my Lord has done for me.

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