Lent is a common practice among Christian denominations. In most western churches, Lent is the 40 days not counting Sundays before Easter. The word Lent comes from the Anglo Saxon word lencten, which means spring. In 325 the council Nicaea discussed the Lenten season, but it wasn’t until the time of Gregory the Great that the start of the season was established on a Wednesday.
The 40 days is symbolic of the 40 days Christ was in dessert and the 40 years Moses had to endure before reaching the Promised Land.
Ash Wednesday is the day when Catholics and other similar denominations allow their priests or ministers to put ashes on the parishioners as a symbolic gesture. The ash is made from palm branches the year before. Palm branches are used in remembrance of Christ entering Jerusalem.
John 12:13
Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed [is] the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.
The ash is more or less supposed to be in the form of a cross. The minister or priest will take his finger into the ash and make the sign of the cross on the forehead making a cross shape.
Matthew 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any [man] will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
Fasting is also a part of the Lenten season. There are many forms of fasting. To do without the consumption of food was the original concept, denying the physical for the enhancement of the spiritual.
When the disciples asked Jesus why they couldn’t heal a young man and Jesus could he answered…. These things come about by prayer and fasting.
So Christians, seeking to be more spiritually empowered, employ fasting as a means of obtaining that power, but are amiss in the use of fasting. Fasting leads us to a place of subduing the physical and elevating the spiritual making us more aware of the movement of the spirit rather than giving ourselves to physical desires and mental amusements which both wrestle for our attention over everything else.
In modern days, a larger understanding of fasting has taken hold. Fasting is described as the elimination of anything in one’s life for a period of time. Things like - giving up desserts, cutting back on television, or using profanity. All of these would be good things to do, but they do not accomplish the original purpose of fasting. Again, not that they are bad, but if we are only focused on what we are giving up, and not focused on what we wish to become spiritually, we lose the full benefit of fasting.
So, how shall we celebrate these days preceding Easter?
We are going to look at using other spiritual disciplines to help us enhance our Easter experience and growth.
The first discipline we will look at is to study.
To develop this discipline, you’ll need to use a special notebook or journal.
Paul commends his young mentoree, Timothy…
Study to show yourself approved of God a workman who needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing need the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15
Today, I want you to begin by studying this verse. Biblegateway.com will be helpful in locating this scripture as well as various translations.
Now here is the way I would like you to begin. Set aside a time when you can intentionally set a time and place where you can be alone with God. Begin with a simple prayer and ask God to speak to you and to give you an understanding of the verse today. Write this down in your journal.
Also use this as a time of worship. Listen to some praise and worship music and sing along. No one else is there so you are being slightly off key, and no one else matters. Does God speak to you through music?
Examine your life, is there anything you feel as though you might need to confess to God anything that you have said or done?
If there are inconsistent areas in your life, confess them, and leave them, move on with life changed empowered by Christ’s strength.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and cleanse and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John1:9
Then, give some time to just sit and fellowship with the Lord.
Tomorrow I will share with you a passage that we are going to spend some time in for awhile.
Please let me know if you are participating and then let us know what God is telling you and how He is a part of our Easter.