We're pausing our Isaiah series for Lent.
You can read all about Lent at www.emmanuel.org.za/events/lent-2018
Shrove Tuesday - Thanksgiving
| Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. 2 Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. 3 For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods. 4 In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. 5 The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. 6 Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker; 7 for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. (Psalms95:1-7) |
Lent starts officially with "Ash Wednesday" but unofficially with Shrove Tuesday. "Shrove" is derived from the word "Shrive" which has to do with absolution. In the Early Church, the season of Lent was a season of fasting. They'd use Shrove Tuesday to use up the fat and luxury items in the house. It was the "feast before the fast" and pancakes were a good way to use up the leftovers which were used as fillings.
Shrove Tuesday became an opportunity to celebrate God's providence and His forgiveness.
Our Psalm does this too:
I love the verbs of worship:
Sing, Shout, Come Before, Extol, Bow and Kneel.
I love the description of God:
- He is the LORD ("I am who I am")
- He is the Rock of our salvation
- He is the great King above all other gods
- All of creation (depths to mountains, sea to land) are His.
- He is our Maker
- He is our Shepherd.
And who are we?
The flock of His pasture and under His care.
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Why not slow down this evening?
Enjoy a tasty meal with loved ones and let your hearts be filled with great gratitude to our wonderful God who gives us life and, as Lent teaches us, gave His us His Son.
