Historically, Christians have sought to intentionally align their lives with the large rhythms of God’s story revealed in the Scriptures. One of the ways this has been done is developing the “Christian Year,” which is an attempt to think through the yearly seasons with the story of the Bible in mind. Within this calendar are some things familiar and not so familiar to us: Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, Pentecost, Ordinary Time etc. Our ancestors in the faith discovered that the Scriptures become more deeply ingrained in us as we align our lives with these larger categories.
The season of Lent refers to a 40 day (6 week) period leading up to the Easter celebration of Jesus’ resurrection (this year: March 6 – April 21, 2019). It is linked to the period of 40 days of fasting before Jesus began his public ministry.
Since it is far too easy to become legalistic we want to remember that if we give something up it is in order to give ourselves to something better. For example, if you cut out TV for Lent (yes, that’s possible), give yourself to creating or celebrating works of beauty; if you give up social media, give yourself to making more of an effort to spending “face time” with others or reading a good book; if you give up sweets, take time to exercise and get outside. Hurry will ruin all efforts to be reflective and intentional, so we need to be aware of how that is infecting us.
Lent has much to offer us as we prepare to celebrate and remember the redemption that has come to us through Christ. In the coming weeks, we will be thinking together and meditating on these things as a body.
I encourage you to ask these two questions in prayer:
The season of Lent refers to a 40 day (6 week) period leading up to the Easter celebration of Jesus’ resurrection (this year: March 6 – April 21, 2019). It is linked to the period of 40 days of fasting before Jesus began his public ministry.
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. (Matthew 4:1-2 ESV)During the first three centuries of the church, Lent developed gradually into a process of preparation for new Christians (called Catechumens) to receive baptism on Easter. This involved a focus on prayer, giving and fasting. As Lent gets us in touch with the spirit of fasting we ask, what might I need to give up in order to give more of myself to God? Obviously sin falls into this category and we need to be diligent in putting sin off with the Lord’s help. Here, however, we are talking about more “neutral” things like drinking coffee, checking Facebook and enjoying sweets.
Since it is far too easy to become legalistic we want to remember that if we give something up it is in order to give ourselves to something better. For example, if you cut out TV for Lent (yes, that’s possible), give yourself to creating or celebrating works of beauty; if you give up social media, give yourself to making more of an effort to spending “face time” with others or reading a good book; if you give up sweets, take time to exercise and get outside. Hurry will ruin all efforts to be reflective and intentional, so we need to be aware of how that is infecting us.
Lent has much to offer us as we prepare to celebrate and remember the redemption that has come to us through Christ. In the coming weeks, we will be thinking together and meditating on these things as a body.
I encourage you to ask these two questions in prayer:
Lord, what fills my life that keeps me distracted and unable to hear or see you?
How can I be more attentive to you during this season?
O God, help us to use this season of Lent
to examine our attachments,
and to sense where You invite us
to live more simply and deeply.
Shine the light of Your love
into the private corners of our lives
where we have acquired so much clutter
that it has begun to restrict our freedom.
Grant us the strength to free ourselves
from appetites and needs that drive us
into taking, having and wanting
more than we need or have time for.
Teach us that in letting go
we become free, rather than deprived,
generous rather than covetous,
and spacious rather than restricted.
We offer You our Lenten observance,
and today we place our feet
on the road to Easter, and walk
the Way that You have walked before us. Amen.
(written by Ann Siddall)
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