As I have confessed in earlier posts, I look forward to Lent. I love worship, and appreciate that Lent allows for two different worship experiences every week (the usual Saturday at 5/Sunday at 8:30 and 10:45, and noon/ 6:15 services on Wednesdays). I get giddily excited with Mardi Gras celebrations and the traditional Pancake Tuesday dinner. This year, I am particularly looking forward to the midweek services based on the book Why Christian and on seeing the video creations of our middle and high school youth. I love that by Easter I feel my faith has grown and deepened, and how glorious light and alleluia seem after weeks of darkness and sadness. I love that during Lent it's hard to not feel SOMETHING, even if it's emotions we might usually push aside.
Part of my preparations in the weeks leading to Lent include thoughtful, prayerful consideration of what can I give up or add that will draw me closer to God. This year, all kinds of opportunities struck me as intriguing:
- Creating a cross of seven white candles (one for each week of Lent) and beginning my evening devotions by lighting all of them, then extinguishing one for each week of Lent (an idea from the book Circle of Seasons, available in our church library)
- Journaling daily as a form of prayer (using the book Praying with my Pen as a guide)
- Participating in the open facebook group "Giving it Away for Lent," created by local pastor Meredith McGrath, that challenges us to give away 40 things during the Lenten season and to pray for the people who will receive these items
- Daily cleaning as a form of discipline and reminder of finding God through humble service
- And perhaps even reading some of the books about God that I keep on the bookshelf??
And as I start getting carried away in my excitement of all these great things I could do and the joyful and fun things that are to come, I realize I'm missing the whole point. Lent is a lot about living in the moment, and of being completely present in the time--and the pain--that must happen before Easter morning. So really, the specifics of the Lenten disciplines (whatever we may choose) seem less important than the spirit in which we do them and the presence and self-discipline we bring to the season.
As we journey to the cross together this Lent, I pray for our spiritual journeys. May we have the wisdom to discern what God asks us to do, the fortitude to be fully present and vulnerable to our God throughout the 40 days, and the courage to obey whatever He asks. May it be so. Amen and Amen.
~Rachel S
Image by Netzhering (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
I like what you say about the specifics not being as important than the spirit in which we do them. Everyone seems to think that you have to make a big deal about what you give up or add in... when it's as simple as putting nothing but Christian music on your ipod for Lent or even spending 5 deliberate minutes in prayer. Makes me wonder what my child was thinking when he said he'd like to give up vegetables though... :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing. I've caught your excitement and am prepared for these 40 days!