Psalm 45 Proverbs 9:1–6 1 Timothy 4:6–16 Luke 4:14–21
When my sons were young, one of their friends spent almost every weekend at our house. Stephen was very smart and gentle and got along well with everyone.
He was also from a broken home. On Friday nights, his father would drop him off, and Stephen always loved to point out his father’s newest car, proudly saying, “Look at his Corvette!” His dad never got out of the car to greet us or say thanks.
One Friday night, I exclaimed, “You know, I wish his father could just say thank you one time—just one measly ‘thanks.’” Stephen couldn’t have heard me.
But I should have known that God did. The next week, when I walked into my cube at work, I saw the back of a telephone man tightening up some wires underneath my desk. Stephen’s father.
“I want to thank you for taking care of Stephen all these weekends,” he said. “I really appreciate it. Stephen has a good time at your house.”
I was dumbfounded. I should have known that God would answer my plea— and that I did not completely understand the situation.
This Lent, may God continue to answer all our pleas—and open our hearts to situations that we may not understand.

–Patricia Leslie