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Lent
2008
Today
is Ash Wednesday-the official start of Lent in the
western church.
Many
people, if they know of Lent at all, write it off as
ritualistic, a relic of the medieval era when people had
simpler lives structured around the church calendar.
The
church calendar barely gets a look these days, though
the systematic process of re-living the gospel can be
life-changing.
Lent
belongs on that calendar, and the spiritual discipline
of fasting, traditionally associated with Lent, has
enormous value.
Lent
represents an opportunity for us to fast
collectively-not in a competitive spirit (who can give
up the most or suffer the most?) but in a communal
spirit (what might God be saying to us together?). As
such it is not primarily a tradition but an
opportunity.
Let's
be clear. The spiritual disciplines-and fasting is one
of them-do not earn reward points with the Father. He
does not love us more nor love us less based on our
participation in the disciplines. The disciplines do not
guarantee our godliness. Nor do they obligate the Father
to bless us with ecstatic visions or blessed
insights.
Any
decision to fast-be it from various foods, drink,
television programs, movies, internet browsing, video
games, driving (when you could walk), etc-is
expressly for the purpose of creating space to
encounter Christ
afresh.
The
Lenten fast lasts the six and a half weeks leading up to
Easter, and excludes Sundays since they are all
"resurrection days." It tests those of us who like to
pamper ourselves or who have addictive personalities.
(That covers us all, doesn't it?) But the Lord walks
with us through this
journey.
We ought not fast and complain. That
simply betrays ingratitude and inattention to the Lord.
Nor should we fast and boast. Be assured that the
ancient Pharisees fasted more regularly and
comprehensively than any of us will, and while they felt
thoroughly proud of themselves they remained (for the
most part) spiritually deaf and blind to what God was
doing.
As we fast, we wait-humbly,
attentively, patiently, and
consistently.
The Lenten fast corresponds with the
40 days that Jesus spent in the wilderness. It will test
us, too. Some of us will struggle with the self-control
to maintain the fast; others may struggle with the
apparent silence of God. The wilderness provides a good
metaphor.
If you've never observed Lent,
consider doing so this year. These small ways of denying
ourselves and dying to ourselves can open doors to rich
spiritual growth. One way forward is with a spiritual
friend who can debrief with you every few days; perhaps
someone who journeys with you for this
experience.
May this Lent season deepen our walk
with
Christ.
In HOPE
--
David
[If this is new for you and you have questions
about how to structure your Lenten experience, feel free
to drop me a line so we can brainstorm some
possibilities
together.] |
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