To “Lent” or Not To “Lent”

“I urge you therefore, bretheren (sisters!),

by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice,

acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.”  

Romans 12:1  (NAS)

Ash Wednesday was last week, beginning the season we call, Lent.  What it means is that we are now in a 40-weekday count down to EASTER, the great celebratory day of our faith as Jesus girls. 

Too often we think “the great celebratory day” is Christmas, and lose sight of the fact that Christmas was just the Beginning:  our faith really finds its life and release at Easter!  Conversely, at the “Easter end” of the journey, we get steam-rolled over by chicks and bunnies and colored eggs, and lose what matters most:  an Ultimate Sacrifice was paid, accepted, and REVEALED which brought us the real gift of LIFE ETERNAL!

Lent, [definition, according to Dictionary.com: (in the Christian religion) an annual season of fasting and penitence in preparation for Easter, beginning on Ash Wednesday and lasting 40 weekdays to Easter, observed by Roman Catholic, Anglican, and certain other churches.]- -is traditionally a time of giving up something, usually decadent/naughty/not-good-for-you, as a means of “feeling the pain” and “proving” to God that you recognize the importance of Easter.

Time for some declarations:

• ·      Today’s post is not written to “guilt” you, or tell you what to – or NOT to – do;
• ·      Today’s post is simply written from a heart’s desire to shine a flashlight – to illuminate something which may be mysterious to some – and “obligation” to others.

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So, here are some thoughts from this Jesus girl about Lent:

It’s important to note that the journey of Lent is mainly about a spiritual discipline.  In other words, about making your earthly self ALIGN with the heart’s desires of your spiritual self.   So – in order to accomplish this, we either “give something up” or we can “take something on.”  Either way – we are utilizing the time of Lent to demonstrate to God that we APPRECIATE the amazing sacrifice He and Jesus made at Easter. 

So, maybe you decide to give something up (wine, chocolate, French fries, complaining, biting your nails, eating fast food, obsessing about your children’s rooms, etc. . .) or maybe you decide to take something on (beginning a daily “quiet time”, volunteering weekly at your favorite charity or children’s school, doing something out of the ordinary for your husband daily, writing letters to your parents or your children) - - -<did I step on enough toes yet?!>

If, the “thing” you’ve made your “Lent thing” becomes difficult, I suggest to you this:  in the moment of sacrifice, let your heart’s prayer become immediately:  “Lord, thank you for YOUR sacrifice!”

Because that’s what Lent is all about:  acknowledging the sacrifice.

Please take the time to push pause - -and ask Jesus if it’s time for some spiritual discipline.

To give up - -or to take on?

Or simply to celebrate the sacrifice!

Whatever you choose, know that we here at Knowing God Ministries are standing with you to declare:  “Lord, thank you for Your sacrifice, which allows us to know intimacy with You.”