Ash Wednesday

Tomorrow Lent will begin, forty days of deprivation. I plan to participate in Lent this year. I have ignored it for years. Growing up I gave up chocolate then ate a lot of it on the sly. I gave up tv then pouted for missing my favorite shows. I didn’t understand what I was trying to accomplish by sacrificing a favorite food or pastime.

I’ve grown as a Christian and now understand what Lent is for; a time to put us in mind of what Jesus suffered for us. Forty days is a long time to ponder this thought. In a busy life like mine the discipline of giving something up will remind me to keep my thoughts on the sacrifice Jesus made for me. He died for my sins so I could share in His glory. It will take me forty days and then some to get my mind around that idea. I accept it but I want to better understand the concept.

This year I feel the need to return to the discipline of Lent. I want the joy of Easter but to get there I have to remember the suffering that came before. So I have decided to return to my hiking mornings. I use to rise each day at 5:45 to walk and prayer for an hour. I gained so much from those mornings. I did this for nearly three years. As with many disciplines my good intensions faltered and one rainy morning after another I slept in my cozy bed. Excuses piled up and I fell out of the habit entirely. This Lent I am returning to my morning quiet time.

There are Bible verses saying I should not be telling you this— pray in secret, do not tell the right hand what the left hand is doing, do not boast in your prayer. All valid ideas. But I am telling you about my plans to keep me accountable. Tomorrow I know I will get out of bed early because I am going to meet God as my walking partner. But as the days drag on I will need a flesh and blood partner looking over my shoulder as well. I am weak. I’ll complain of rain or cold or being tired. Easy excuses to skip the joy of being in God’s presence. I don’t want to skip Lent this year (and I don’t want to give up chocolate again, I can’t afford all the calories I would eat cheating!).

Maybe you’d like to join me in practicing Lent again. Is there some sacrifice you can make that will keep you mindful of God during the forty days of Lent?

Posted 2/20/2007 @ 9:36 PM | Weekly Thoughts