Lent is Coming

The realities of Easter are so vast that it is impossible to fully comprehend the mystery and the depth of what God has done for the people He loves. Preparing for Easter through Lent is a spiritually enriching experience. Practicing Lent has both deepened my wonder for the Trinity’s passionate love for us humans and made me more aware of my utter inability to save myself.

In John’s gospel, John the Baptist said of Jesus, "Look the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29b)! The sin of the world means the sin of the whole world, which means all sins committed since Adam and Eve took their first bites of the apple until the last sin that will be committed before Christ returns. The one Lamb of God—the one, once-and-for-all sacrifice—is so stunningly powerful that He can take it all away. He can diminish all the damage that has been done. All of it! He takes away not just my sins and your sins, but all of the sins of the entire world!  How do we wrap our minds about that truth?

Lent is not about trying to be a better person or trying not to sin as much. Lent is about recognizing the wonder of what God planned, Jesus fulfilled, and the Holy Spirit empowered. It is not as much about sin management as it is about sin emancipation.  By fasting for forty days we learn how miniscule our puny human strivings are on our propensity to sin.  As you practice the ancient tradition of Lenten meditation, you open your soul to realize the Lamb of God has taken away the sin of the world. May that humble you and help you realize how He can take away your personal sin.

My sin has been taken away. My sin nature is still a thorn in my flesh. In spite of my present redeemed state of spirituality, I continue to struggle with my selfish ambitions. The cross shows me that I have been made better than I am and it entices me to live out that freedom from sin that Jesus made possible for me.  Without the Lenten season, I wonder away from this reality. 

If Jesus had not taken away the sin of the world, my struggle would feel impossible. The fact that Jesus has taken away my sin causes me to lean into His power to overcome the personal sins that plague my life. As I choose something from which to fast at Lent, or something to take on, I am not showing that I cannot take away my sin. I am becoming more aware of the spiritual reality that has been accomplished on my behalf. My sin is taken away in spite of me, and only through my faith in Jesus’ work of redemption on the cross. As you enter the Lenten season, become more aware of the One Who has overcome sin for you. Let Him increase and you decrease. It will bring joy to your soul.

The first time I read about Jesus’ attitude concerning going to Jerusalem to face the cross, I was astonished. Luke 9:51 says, As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. The strong term resolutely implies no turning back. It was an onward journey. Although this passage was not referring to His last journey to Jerusalem, the idea that the time was nearing for Him to be taken to heaven makes it clear that the cross was on his mind. The way I remembered this passage in my mind was that Jesus set his mind like flint to go to Jerusalem. But after my research for this article I discovered that the phrasing is used in Isaiah 50:7 as Isaiah prepared his mind for his difficult journey to do God’s will.

Both of these Biblical Prophets have much to teach us about preparing our hearts for Easter. It starts with your mindset. You must decide that you are going there and that you will comply with the sacrifices that are asked of you. You will not evaluate God’s will, but rather choose to fulfill God’s will in your life. Giving up something for Lent is a wonderful challenge to your mindset and your will.

Through the years, I have seen God do incredible things through me. Each year I have asked the Holy Spirit to show me something I can give up for Lent. In my practice of Lent, I have not chosen things that would help me break a bad habit, but rather things that I really like that I can enjoy again on Easter Sunday. If it is chocolate, I have learned to stock up on the candies I enjoy that only come out at Easter. I eat my first one in celebration of what Jesus did for me, and in recognition that I don’t even have to give up chocolate to be saved by His blood. I have to tell you, I am rarely resolute when I am praying about my Lenten fast. Often, there is a little dialogue between God and me about the ideas I receive from Him. I just know that He wouldn’t want me to live out a Daniel fast—eating only fruits and vegetables and no fine food (desserts, fried food—all the stuff I like). Yet, I have found amazing spiritual victory as I commit to follow where He leads me.

I have a choice to make: will I be resolute and rebellious? I guess when you think of it there is no other way to make a Lenten fast. I hope that you will find some way to reveal that you are resolute about knowing and doing God’s will in your life. It is good for the soul.