‘Tis the Season

Today, as I write this blog entry, it is Ash Wednesday.  I did not grow up observing Lent.  In fact, for all the rules and regulations that were a part of my religious upbringing, somehow Lent was never mentioned.  Maybe it was because I was neither Catholic nor Lutheran.  Maybe it was because I was unaware and uniformed.  As an adult, I began to be surrounded by people who took Lent very seriously.  Two cherished Catholic friends began to open my eyes to the meaningfulness of the season. 

I heard much talk yesterday of what people were “giving up” for Lent.  The idea of giving up something for the forty days prior to Good Friday is to remind us of the ultimate sacrifice Christ made in giving up His life on our behalf that we might be able to have relationship with a holy God.  This is where Lent takes on meaning for me.  I, who had no hope of ever being in relationship with a holy, sovereign God, now enjoy peace with Him, right relationship with Him, because of the sacrifice of our Lord, because of His holy life being offered up in my place.   I think it is important to note that no amount of fasting or sacrifice on my part makes me right with God.  He already approves of and loves me to the fullest extent.  Not because I am worthy, but because His Son Jesus is.  That being said, it is good and right to set aside a season of time to especially remember and reflect on Christ’s sacrifice.  The key is to focus the time on repenting from our sins and consecrating ourselves to God, not on trying to earn God's favor or increase His love for us.
  I remember that He is God and I am not.

As we start into the Lenten Season, I am look forward to slowing down the hectic pace of my life and to, once again, bring my focus back to the mighty God whom I am privileged to know.  It occurred to me that Lent is not always about giving something up but about offering something up to Him with grateful hearts for all that He has done for us.  Perhaps it would be purposing to do something we are not currently doing, or doing something in greater measure than we are doing now.  Time in prayer on the way to work or school, an act of kindness in the grocery store, kind words to the discouraged, sitting in solitude or quiet reflection on God and His ways are all examples.    

The word “intentional” keeps showing up in my conversations these days.  When that happens, I have learned to pay attention.  In thinking about how I will practice Lent, I decided to be intentional about noticing new things about God in this Season.  Every day I am going to expect that God is going to show up in my life in some way on that day, and I am going to try to be careful to recognize and acknowledge it when He does.  In the end, I hope that it will be more about God and less about me.  I hope to have a greater knowledge of Him and His ways.  I hope my relationship to Him will be deepened and strengthened.  

Are you observing Lent this year?  If so I’d love you to share!

RomaLee