Embracing Lent

Today is Ash Wednesday. And Ash Wednesday ushers in the season of Lent.

I know there are probably many that don't know that or don't care. But I truly believe that this season is crucial in order to fully appreciate the agony of Good Friday and the wonder of Easter.

I don't have any major revelations about all of this or deep theology to offer. But I just want to maybe spark some interest about Lent in someone who hasn't given it much thought in the past.

Lent provides a time for believers to focus on prayer, fasting, and living simply. Lent is a time to give up something in order to seek Christ more. It is a time to be more diligent about spending time in prayer. It is a time to be reminded of things eternal. It is a time to look beyond yourself and deeper into the needs, the hurts, the plights of others. It is a time to look intently towards the cross, fix your eyes on Jesus, and kneel in awe of Him. 

Now don't get me wrong, these are things we are called to as Christians all the time. But there is something quite special about the Church collectively praying, fasting, preparing her heart for Holy Week. 

So I challenge you...give something up for Lent. Fast from something. Let this be a season that teaches you the spiritual discipline of fasting and let it continue in your life after we celebrate His resurrection. Fasting reminds us that our God is Provider and Provision. Fasting is giving up something good for something greater. For Someone Greater. Fasting helps remind us that this world is not our home. Fasting helps align our hearts with the heart of God. 

(Side note...fasting isn't giving up something sinful. If it's a sin, you are already called to give it up. Forever.)

The Lenten season gives the slightest glimpse of dying to yourself. Of choosing Christ's desires over your own desires. Of choosing the eternal over the temporal. Of choosing the Word over words. Of choosing prayer over sleep.  And death carries a significant part of the gospel. Death is needed for resurrection to occur.  

So whether you have never journeyed through Lent before or whether you do every year, take these next six weeks to take up your cross and journey with Christ towards the cross. Take this time to let God mature you with the spiritual disciplines of prayer and fasting. Take these forty days of fasting to seek His Kingdom and His righteous. 

Prepare your heart for Easter. Because the joy of Easter cannot be felt without the suffering of Good Friday. Resurrection life cannot be attained without first the death of self. 

Embrace the season of Lent this year. It is solemn, yet beautiful. It is hard, yet filled with hope.