I never dread Lent, never. Each year I look forward to the call to consecration.

Each year I anticipate drawing nearer to God, getting a greater sense of His purpose as I relinquish those things that devour the time I should spend with Him.

Yes, every year I look forward to Lent and every year I look forward to drawing near to God in anticipation of His drawing near to me.

Every year!

And every year I miss the mark, every year.

My greatest challenge, every year, is keeping my focus, keeping my heart turned toward God.

I have not mastered the art of absolute meditation.

You know, those long intense moments of  quiet reading and silent musings in God’s presence as I journal His responses to me.

Nope, no mastery at all.

My moments are more like fragments that pop up randomly during the day, a word that will trigger a thought that will lead me into a prayer or remind me of a scripture.

A billboard ushers me into a place of reflection.

A conversation will remind me of  a moment when I “felt” the presence of God.

A favorite song of worship will propel me, tear stained face and all, into His presence.

No, I have not mastered the art of absolute meditation.

What I have learned is that God also dwells in the fragments as well.

The woman of Canaan in Matthew 15 understood this all too well.

I, too, thank God for the fragments, especially during Lent.