Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD"—and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Psalm 32:5

On Feb. 1, the sun peeked over the horizon in Milwaukee, Wis., at 7:07 a.m. and set just under ten hours later at 5:04 p.m. By the end of the month, those times had changed to 6:30 a.m. and 5:39 p.m. When the sun rises earlier and sets later, people sometimes say that the days are getting longer. That is usually considered a good thing.

But this is also the time of year when the days start to feel like they are getting longer in a not-so-good way. The skies are a perpetual gray. The ground is an ugly brown, and we long for the warmer and brighter days of spring.

These final long days of winter on the calendar match up with the days of Lent on the church calendar. (Lent comes from an old English word that means "to lengthen.") Unfortunately the gloomy weather that affects our moods can also negatively impact our feelings about this season.

But instead of treating Lent like it is something to be endured, instead of counting down the days until the purple paraments can be replaced with white, I want you to notice the rays of sunshine breaking through the dark clouds. Lent isn't all doom and gloom. It is a special time, a time for repentance and renewal.

A TIME FOR REPENTANCE

Lent is a season for self-examination, and when we examine our lives in the mirror of God's law, we don't like what we see. This mirror reveals something much worse than wrinkles. It exposes all of our faults and imperfections. We see the ugliness of our sin and the hopelessness of our condition.

But behind us in the mirror there is a shadowy figure who looks even worse than we do. He has been beaten within an inch of his life. A thorny crown has been pressed onto his head. The weight of the world is on his shoulders. To be more accurate, it is the weight of the world's sin, your sin, my sin—every sin except his own because he is without sin.

In spite of how much he has suffered, there is a smile on his face. He is smiling because he has heard your plea for forgiveness. "Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity." He is smiling because there is joy in heaven over one sinner who repents. He is smiling because he knows that his time on earth was well spent.

A TIME FOR RENEWAL

Thinking about Jesus' suffering and death saddens us, but knowing why he suffered renews us. He did it to demonstrate how much he loves us. Because of Jesus' sacrifice on a cross, we are forgiven sinners. During Lent, our forgiving God gives us opportunities to express our gratitude.