Lent

The calendar is leaving me behind again. This past Wednesday—Ash Wednesday­­—I suddenly realized, “Lent is beginning.”

Full marks for observation?

I grew up in a denomination that didn’t put much emphasis on Lent, and I sure didn’t learn much about it from watching childhood friends give up chocolate or candy.

But if we look at fasting, which is what the “giving up for Lent” really is, there’s value in that. It’s not a mindless ritual that lets you diet a bit so you can eat a larger chocolate bunny.

It’s not giving something up in penance, maybe not even to show devotion. It’s abstaining from something—or adding in something—to make more room for God in our lives. To get closer to Him.

Ash Wednesday… and I was wishing I’d seen it coming, had put thought and prayer into discovering what I might do to better make room for myKing.

But He’s been planting seeds all along. Showing me how noisy it is in my mind. Wooing me with wistful thoughts of silence. Of silence with Him.

So it’s my intent to take a few minutes’ deliberate quiet with Him each day. Maybe over tea. And whenever I catch myself humming or making gratuitous noise, I will take that as a reminder to quiet my spirit and turn my thoughts toward Him.

They’ll be this child’s special moments with her Papa. My version of a Lenten fast.

4 thoughts on “Lent

  1. Stephanie

    I believe that’s the truly important thing–not giving up or adding something for its own sake or as a sign of how spiritual we are–but drawing closer to Him.
    Thanks for the reminder and the challenge, Janet.
    Bless you, this Lenten season and always…

    Reply
  2. Belinda

    A reminder of the purpose of a fast–to draw us closer to God. We don’t always get that when the focus is all about what we are “giving up!” 🙂

    Reply

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