Strengthening in Lent

This photo was taken of ice formed at the bottom of a woodland mountain, where the melt runs off into a tiny stream, which then runs down the mountain into a larger stream, which runs off into the Delaware River over a mile away. But the ice is melting today because the sun is growing stronger. You can feel it, and see it, and even hear it in the ice dripping. The sun is strengthening.

"Look into nature, and then you will understand everything better," Albert Einstein said.

As a young priest I was chaplain to a hospital and often watched babies strengthen in the Neo-Natal Intensive Care. I met other folks strengthen through their struggle with cancer, and family members who fought hard to strengthen emotionally through the serious sickness of loved ones.

We can feel Jesus strengthen in his desert-dialogue with Satan: "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God,'" and "Again it is written, 'You shall not not tempt the Lord your God,'" and "Begone Satan! for it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.'" Matthew 4: 1ff

So maybe Lent's long forty days can be a strengthening time:

That I would be 
strengthened in my prayer through the long forty days,

strengthened in my attentiveness to the Gospels,

strengthened in this relationship - these friendships,

strengthened in my endurance by taking a Lenten walk each day,

strengthened in my lungs as I try to get off these cigarettes,

strengthened in my disposition as I do something kind,

strengthened in my spirit which sometimes suffers weakness,
strengthened in my faith ~ the culture says don't bother.

That I would be 
strong enough to get out of bed each morning,
strong for the long commute, 
strong for the work I don't feel up to,
strong for the surprises and challenges
strong as I'm tempted to give up
strong for those who need me
strong in my most vulnerable place
strong for God's sake (literally)!