Lent

What is Lent? Well, according to Websters 1828 Dictionary, lent is:

The quadragesimal fast, or fast of forty days observed by the christian church before Easter, the festival of our Savior's resurrection. It begins at Ash Wednesday, and continues till Easter.

Okay, I guess that's right, but while normally Websters can make things clear to me, I am still in the dark. I am not Catholic, but I married into a Catholic family. Of course I am not aware of any of them actually doing anything for Lent, so I I'm not sure I can get a good answer from them either. Thus I did as I so often do, and turned to the internet. After doing a few Google searches, I came across a website (http://www.wilstar.com/holidays/lent.htm) that gave me some good, quick and clear answers. I will give a brief summery from what I have gathered:

The highlight of the year for Christians is Easter, the day when our Lord rose from the dead. Lent is a forty-day season of preparation for Easter. Lent always begins on a Wednesday, called Ash Wednesday.

Why 40 days? Because, Jesus fasted and was tempted in the wilderness for 40 days. Lent, then, is our time of fasting, prayer, temptation and repentance. Lent is not required anywhere in scriptures, but it has been a custom, which Christians have practiced for most of the last two thousand years.

In many languages, the word "Lent" actually means "fast." This is where the custom of giving up something for Lent originated.

However, just to confuse things, Lent is actually 46 days rather than 40 days. Why? Because the 40 days of Lent are supposed to be days of fasting, which means days of discipline and self-restraint. But Sunday, the Lord's Day, should never be a day of fasting, but a day of celebration! So each Sunday we suspend our Lenten disciplines and celebrate. Lent is 40 "fasting" days spread out over a total of 46 days beginning on Ash Wednesday.

The focus of Lent was always threefold:

1. It was a time to prepare new converts for baptism through intensive classes and instruction.
   
2. It was a time for long-standing Christians to review their lives and renew their commitment to Jesus Christ.
   
3. It was a time for backsliders to be restored to the faith.
   

In every case, it is a time for serious, disciplined self-examination, a time spent in intensive prayer and repentance before the cross of Calvary.

To represent the dark and serious business of Lent, one custom has been to strip the sanctuary of all flowers, candles, and colors during Lent. This custom helps us to turn inward and examine ourselves, even as it reminds us of the dark and colorless Sabbath day when Jesus lay dead in the tomb.

Put simply, Lent is a time to examine ourselves carefully. Here are some questions upon which you might pray and meditate during Lent:

• Am I sharing gladly what I have with others, especially the stranger and the poor?
  
• Do I have a gracious and patient attitude with others, especially those who irritate me?
  
• Do I feel the power of connection to God and the church in corporate worship?
  
• How is my devotional and prayer life progressing? Am I listening to God more and complaining less? Is it time for a change or a growth in my Bible study and prayer life?
  
• What are the lurking sin problems, which still plague me?
  
• Am I as thoughtful and forgiving of family as others, or do I take my frustrations out on them?
  
• Do I speak up for the maligned and oppressed, or do I remain silent in order to remain popular?
  

So what does all this mean to me? Well, it gives me a guideline, a starting point for something that I have needed to do for a long time now. You see, I hold to the view of "Once saved, Always saved", so I don't question my salvation, but I do question how healthy my relationship with the Lord is. There was a time when I wanted to go into the ministry, but the Lord has shown me that I am not ready for this. Paul writes to Timothy regarding the Qualifications of being a minister. One of these is that a minister must have his household in order, as how can a minister expect to lead a congregation when he can't lead his own home. There are many problems taking place at home. No, there are no plans of divorce or anything like that, but there are nonetheless many issues that show me I am not yet ready for ministry (on a side note though, this last Sunday, due to bad weather, I was given the chance to fill in and teach Sunday school class at church, which tells me that the Lord does still have plans for me). As such, I plan to take the spirit of Lent as described above and apply it to my life, starting on Wednesday (02/17/10) thru Easter (4/04/10).

What do I hope to gain from this? I have quite a list, which I will share with anyone reading this.

• Rebuild my relationship with God.
  
• Get back into a routine of Bible study. One way that I am going to do this is by going to Setting Captives Free (http://www.settingcaptivesfree.com/) and doing their online study titled "the Cross". This is a Bible study course designed to help you get focused on Christ. This is a 60 day course, so it will be going on after Lent actually ends, but hopefully by the end to Lent, I will be in the habit of setting aside time to have personal bible study.
  
• Overcome personal sins. There are those "besetting sins" that I constantly battle with. One example is weight. There have been many times when my weight has prevented me from doing all I could, either for God (as when I have been on missions trips). There are also times when my weight has kept me from being my best with my family (either I'm too tired or in a bad mood because of my weight). These "besetting sins" need to be put under control so they no longer come between me and my relationship with God or my family. As such, I plan to follow my understanding of fasting during Lent. I will primarily consume juices and soups, but will also allow myself some fruits and vegetables Monday – Saturday. Sundays I will eat normal meals (but eat "wisely, not as a glutton).
  
• Other areas I need to restrict is cutting back on television viewing and internet browsing. Way too much time is wasted in these activities (and all too often one can get drawn into areas they should avoid anyway), focusing this time gained into doing things with my family or in prayer and meditation with God.
  
• Read my Bible more!!!
  

During this time of Lent, I will be using this blog as a journal of my experiences and thoughts during Lent. I pray that this will lead me to where I need to be, and will be a help to others.