March carries us firmly into the season of Lent. The pancakes are finished, the ashes have been marked, and whatever we resolved to take up — or give up — may already be feeling like a stretch. At the same time, there are signs of change all around us. The mornings are lighter, snowdrops are giving way to crocuses, and the first hints of spring are beginning to show.
Lent sits in that in-between space: not quite winter, not yet spring. It is a season of waiting and watching.
This year’s Lent theme, Draw Near, captures something important about these forty days. Lent is not primarily about self-denial for its own sake. Rather, it is an invitation to draw near to God — and to remember that in Christ, God has already drawn near to us.
In Romans 8, Paul speaks of creation “groaning” as it waits for renewal. We do not have to look far to recognise that groaning in our own world. We may also recognise it in our personal lives — in uncertainty, in frustration, in longing for things to be different. Lent does not ask us to pretend that everything is fine. Instead, it gives us space to bring those groans honestly before God.
Jesus’ words in Matthew 6 offer a gentle rebalancing: “Look at the birds of the air… consider the lilies of the field.” He does not dismiss our concerns, but he reminds us that anxiety need not have the final word. Drawing near to God helps to re-centre us. It shifts our focus from what we cannot control to the faithfulness of the One who knows our needs.
Perhaps the invitation this month is a simple one. To draw near in prayer, even if only for a few quiet minutes each day. To draw near to Scripture, allowing it to shape our hearts. To draw near to one another, choosing patience, kindness and generosity in small but meaningful ways.
As a parish, we have opportunities to walk this journey together — through our Lent groups and in our Sunday worship. Lent is not something we endure alone. It is a shared pilgrimage.
And it is always a journey that leads somewhere. Lent moves us towards Easter. The waiting, the reflecting, the pruning back — all of it prepares the ground for new life.
So wherever you find yourself this March — busy, hopeful, tired, or searching — may you know that God is near. And may this season be one in which you take a step closer still.
With every blessing,
Steven Medley