Hello friends. In case you didn't know, tomorrow is Ash Wednesday. I'm thinking about it a lot, and my friend Jenna says I don't update often enough, so here are some of my thoughts on the topic. It may be rather disorganized.
Perhaps it's because I was raised Catholic, where the liturgical year is a pretty big deal, but I like observing the lent. I've been spending the last few days trying to sort out a reading plan that will help me reflect upon this season of lent. I'm starting with this one here as a basic guide. I've also been listening to The Brilliance's Lent, as it really helps me "enter in" as Christians like to say. The purpose of lent as I think about it is a time of preparation. We prepare ourselves for Christ's death and resurrection. The whole idea of giving things up for 40 days reflects Jesus, and the way he spent 40 days in the desert fasting. Lent is a 40+ day fast, a sort of purification or centering upon Christ. Certainly we cannot cleanse ourselves--we can only be cleansed by Christ. But in lent we can help ourselves attempt to grasp our utter desperation, and in contrast, God's absolute and undeserved mercy in committing the most unjust act of bestowing his wrath upon Christ. Fasting helps us yearn for Christ to come first in our lives, and desire redemption both in ourselves and throughout the rest of the earth. The thing about fasting is, Scripture is pretty clear about not going about shouting it from the rooftops. When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. --Matthew 6:16-18 I applaud the idea of giving something up for lent as a way to focus on God. That's one of the purposes of fasting. I even agree with the idea of talking about it with others, and discussing whether you're finding it easy or difficult, keeping each other accountable, and talking about whether you are seeing God grow new things in you as a result. This can lead to a ton of worthy discussions, and why shouldn't brothers and sisters talk about what God is teaching them in order to bless one another? Go for it! We need more discussions like this! However, I don't agree with the notion of doing something for show. We aren't supposed to draw attention to the fact that we are fasting. This is hard because we can get prideful a number of ways. We can mention to everyone everyday how we've given something up, or that we're fasting from something during Lent. We can do the reverse, and look at someone and say, "She posted about how she's fasting on her blog! I heard him talk about fasting! Wow, how vain. What a Pharisee." Then we can think to ourselves, "I'm so glad I haven't told anyone. What a good Christian am I. I'm doing this fasting thing right." Well, sorry, if that's your thought process, you probably aren't. Fasting from anything should help us focus on God. I know personally that when I am able to really focus on God, I can't help but be awed by His goodness--and disgusted by my own sin in the process. Never do I realize how lowly I am than when I focus on God's majesty. Fasting helps me to do this. It helps me focus on Christ's love in His amazing sacrifice. And I certainly have absolutely no ground to call someone else a sinner when I'm covered in muck myself. There's nothing wrong about discussing how you plan to focus more on God during Lent. If that's through giving something up, then go for it. Invite someone to join you in that experience of tuning into the Spirit. One of the most amazing things about lent is how many people observe it. It's an entire Church turning towards God. How is that not beautiful and amazing? How can we not cry out in unison? It's an entire city repenting. It's an entire nation yearning for Christ. It's our unified desire for Christ to redeem our own bodies, our own spirits, and the earth. Let us be careful, brothers and sisters, that we don't make it about ourselves. After all, lent is a time to practice taking the focus off of ourselves and back to the incomprehensible love of God exemplified in Christ upon a cross. We prepare for the death of Christ, for the world left empty, and for his return. Just as you prepare for a feast by not eating for the day, let us prepare our souls for a feast of celebration at Christ's resurrection. Rachel Fruit and Labor
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Archives
November 2019
|