During the season of Lent, I will be sharing a short post each day as part of the Lent-Photo-a-Day Journey, providing a sort of brief reflection and witness through the journey to and through the cross, to the tomb, and out into the world.

The word designated for February 28th was “Promise.”

Regarding promises, I am reminded of this reflection I wrote on Easter Vigil last year about “Baptismal Promises and the Hope and Wait for Easter.”

I am also reminded of a promise that I made on February 28th, this year. Like the day before, Allison and I were overjoyed to be able to attend the ordination of a friend. On February 28th, our friend Grace Gravelle was ordained becoming a pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. She is called to Christ Lutheran in Shrewsbury, Pennsylvania. As part of the ordination though, all present and worshiping in the body were tasked with participating and promising to regard, pray for and support the newly ordained. The acclamation includes the following:

Will you, assembled as the people of God and speaking for the whole church, receive Grace as a messenger of Jesus Christ, sent by God to serve all people with the gospel of hope and salvation? Will you regard her as a servant of Christ?

We will, and we ask God to help us.

Will you pray for her, help and honor her for her work’s sake, and in all things strive to live together in the peace and unity of Christ?

We will, and we ask God to help us.

In this, those assembled, participated, but also made a promise. What have you promised lately? Where do you see and experience the promises of God?