Growing Up Without Lent

On Ash Wednesday, February 17, Lent began. I grew up in a somewhat non religious home. Now don't think for a moment that is a bad thing. Not that there is necessarily anything wrong with religion; it's just that religion can get in the way of God.

I never knew what Lent was growing up. My parents went to church sometimes but as a teenager I found myself feeling inwardly compelled to go to church. I often walked the mile and a half to Westminster Presbyterian Church, even in the snow or rain. No I'm not making this up.

I can't say that not knowing about Lent made me desire more or less to experience life in the church community.

Now why do I say this? I say this because those closest to religion, any religion, can
easily slip into the "routine" of religion. When religious practice becomes 'something we do' we may be a little more removed from the reason for which Jesus came. He certainly did NOT come so that we could celebrate Lent or Easter or Christmas for that matter. Jesus came to set us FREE! He came to deliver us from the blind slavery to a life that is no life at all. He came to 'connect' us to God.

Any 'religious practice' only has value when it serves as a practical aid in bringing us closer to this God of LOVE.

Lent serves no purpose in itself. But if it becomes an occasion in which we join with others in more deliberately seeking to 'weed out' the thorns of life that threaten to kill off the tender planting of the Lord which He would have grow to fruition within us, then "Yea Lent!"

Lent is not, or rather should not, be about giving up anything.

Today as I was reading for companionship with God I was turning to Isaiah 30:18-33 "But the Lord still waits for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion ... You will hear a voice say, 'This is the way; turn around and walk here.' ... Then you will destroy all your silver idols and gold images. You will throw them out like filthy rags. 'Ugh!' you will say to them. 'Be gone!' Then the Lord will bless you with ..."

What struck me about this is that the throwing out of those things in our lives, those things which are such poor substitutes for 'The Real Thing', are eliminated in our lives not by trying to sweep them, these things which bring spiritual darkness to our lives OUT, but by turning ON the light!

A true fast consists not so much of what we take OUT of our diet (food, reading, watching, speaking, doing) but what we put INTO our mind, soul and body. The taking OUT only has meaning and can only result in true change if we put something better, something which nourishes that which is of God IN us.

So let this be a time when we SEEK HIS FACE. "And the Lord will make his majestic voice heard." (Isaiah 30:30)

-In Christ, Pastor Joe