After spending the evening watching the Grammys and tweeting my snarky thoughts, last night my dreams were in Tweet format. Needless to say it was a long night. And when I woke this morning I was more than a little disturbed by it.
I got to thinking about technology’s power in my life.
Lent is coming.
For Christians, the 40 days (plus Sundays) of Lent — the time between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday — is a time for reflection, renewal, and rededication.
But Lent has been a part of the Church life from the 2d Century on, and it’s a discipline and a season worthy of the entire Church. What is Lent? Essentially it is a time of preparation. As during Advent we prepare to celebrate the Advent of our Lord, so during Lent we prepare to enter in and participate in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In other words, it is a time for us to recollect our minds and hearts toward the saving events of our faith. The Church Calendar is designed to keep our lives connected week by week to the life of Jesus. — Scot McKnight
I’ve written about Lent before and have some links below. Many Christians don’t participate in Lent or take it lightly; perhaps giving up chocolate or caffeine as way of depriving ourselves. But Julie Clawson author of Everyday Justice and blogger at One Hand Clapping says about this most misunderstood event: “Lent isn’t about denial, it is about transformation. It is the season in which we prepare to encounter Christ’s sacrifice by endeavoring to become more Christ like ourselves. ” (Emphasis mine.) I could not agree more.
In preparing for Lent, I sometimes ask myself:
- Is there a habit (or even a sin) in my life that repeatedly gets in the way of my loving God or loving others? Ask God to get a hold of that habit over the next 40 days and help you have the discipline to give it to him, forever.
- Is there any one in my life with whom I need to pursue forgiveness or reconciliation? This may take longer than Lent. Here is a poem that I wrote during a time of profound grieving, knowing that I had done and said something that I thought was unforgivable. It’s titled Longing for Mercy. Ask God to begin to work in you and in the other person to ready you both for reconciliation in God’s perfect timing.
- What am I willing to give up to carve out extra time for daily contemplation and listening for the season of Lent?
- Lent begins next week, on Ash Wednesday, leaving time to ask God to show you what you need to stop doing to have more time with him.
I’m seriously considering letting go of Facebook for Lent. It often makes me anxious and confused and I wonder about its power over my mind and heart. Could I just let it fly away into the abyss of cyberspace for forty days and see what other more meaningful things I can fill it up with? I don’t know yet.
A Pastoral Word from Dr. Mark D. Roberts:
Let me note, at this point, that if you think of Lent as a season to earn God’s favor by your good intentions or good works, then you’ve got a theological problem. God’s grace has been fully given to us in Christ. We can’t earn more of it by doing extra things or by giving up certain other things in fasting. If you see Lent as a time to make yourself more worthy for celebrating Good Friday and Easter, then perhaps you shouldn’t keep the season until you’ve grown in your understanding of grace. If, on the contrary, you see Lent as a time to grow more deeply in God’s grace, then you’re approaching Lent from a proper perspective.
MH
A clear and powerful description of Lent by Dr. Mark D. Roberts , Senior Adviser and Theologian in Residence of Foundations for Laity Renewal, in the Hill Country of Texas outside of San Antonio.
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Other things I’ve written on Lent:
Lenton Series: Winter Slowly Receeds
Lenton Series: If you Were Homeless
Logic & Imagination 
Often, I participate in Lent. Usually I find myself giving up something of import, trying so hard not just to give up something that I should give up anyway. But, I also add something to the time of Lent. Reading the entire Bible in 40 days is much harder for someone who has a busy life. (I cannot imagine how it would be to have a full household, with jobs, spouses, and children… EEEK) Last year I sat down and wrote everyday creatively. I usually have some sort of fasting that I participate in, and recently have been adopting a fast that comes from an IVCF writer. I’ll include the link so you might appreciate it.
https://urbana.org/blog/eating-alongside-poor-lent
It all comes down to realising that with whatever you give up, you might want to include something that brings your focus to your relationship with God and His creation. For me, as someone who did not grow up in a congregation that observed Lent, it has always been a threshing floor for my character and faith. I have been blessed to share in Christ’s sufferings and been taught about grace, mercy, being teachable, and other hard truths. As we prepare, I hope that our hearts would be prepared for the immense gift that Lent can be for us. =)
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