What are you giving up for Lent? Sweets? Chips? Wine? Social Media? That game on your phone? Great! Good luck!
Wait, what!?! That’s it? We just give something up for a few weeks?…that’s all I’ve ever known.
Lent is the time of Ash Wednesday until Holy Saturday. It represents the 40 days Jesus spent in the wilderness, alone, being tempted by Satan. Those things humans are tempted by all the time. And how did Jesus respond: “It is written.” In Matthew 4:
“It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
“It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
“Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”
We are called to use what is written to live our daily lives. We are called to live like Jesus. It is an impossible feat to live perfectly like Jesus did. But for Lent, we can focus on it.
I recently sat with a small group listening to our friend Nancy discuss fasting. Despite not being able to fast in the normal sense any time soon due to pregnancy and nursing, I learned a great lesson. My take away: it is not about what we give up, it is about what we add. When fasting, or giving something up for Lent, yes, we are called to take something away. But that is not all. We should be filling that time with extra, purposeful time with God -- in the Word, as “it is written.” As Clay Scroggins says, we must turn down the noise of distractions in our lives and put our thoughts to our emotions and our God.
This extra time and practice can look like many things: time in prayer, reading your Bible, listening to Christian podcasts, listening to worship music, reading devotionals, journaling. The point is to be intentional. Be quiet and still. Listen. Grow.
I challenge you this Lent season. Don’t give anything up. Instead, add. Add 15-30 minutes of each day to pray, read, or write. Spend your drive listening to a podcast or worship music instead. Journal to God at the end of each day. To be still and be with God.
Let us worship, praise, and give thanks. To a God who provides. To a God with a plan. To a God who sent His son who lived perfectly, sinlessly with human tendencies and to die for the forgiveness of all our sins. To a God who brings us love and joy.
ABOUT THE BLOGGER
Kristin and her husband, Casey, have two small children, one big dog and another child on the way in April. A former teacher, coach and personal trainer, she now loves being a stay-at-home mom. As someone who has more recently found Christianity, she enjoys learning and growing in her faith and is excited to share her experience with others.
UPCOMING EVENT
Christ’s Prophesies of the End Times Seminar - Part 1
Sunday, February 23, 2020, 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Join us for three consecutive Sunday evenings (Feb. 23, March 1, and March 8) as we study and discuss Christ’s prophesies of the End Times as revealed in Matthew and Revelation. Led by Ed Foley and Leigh Kelleher, we will look at the various views of the prophesies, discuss how biblical scholars interpret the scriptures and examine the various (and much debated!) timelines and events that may unfold before, during, and after Christ’s prophesied return to earth. The course is targeted to be of interest to all levels of Christian background. Registration is required. No childcare will be provided.