365.24 Days of Lent - Bruce Atchison

To me, Lent is my year-round practice. Being one of those who esteems every day more or less the same, I try to avoid all the things which Christ and the apostles told us to eschew. Colossians 3:8-10 (BBE) is a partial list of what we must avoid, even unintentionally. "But now it is right for you to put away all these things; wrath, passion, bad feeling, curses, unclean talk; Do not make false statements to one another; because you have put away the old man with all his doings, And have put on the new man, which has become new in knowledge after the image of his maker;"

Even so, I sometimes slip, Railing at politicians and stupid people. My computer takes the brunt of my curses as well. I'm amazed that the paint on it hasn't blistered yet.

It's a good thing therefore that our Lord and Master forgives us when we slip back into old behaviour patterns. In 1 John 1:9 (BBE), we read, "If we say openly that we have done wrong, he is upright and true to his word, giving us forgiveness of sins and making us clean from all evil."

Imagine if a piano teacher tolerated no wrong notes. All the students would fail and the teacher would lose all his or her customers. Though our Lord and Master tolerates no sin, he's ready to forgive any of us who apologize and ask for his pardon.

I also want to be more caring toward people. It's hard for me since I've suffered so much verbal abuse in the past. That's why this part of what people call The Lord's Prayer greatly worries me. Matthew 6:12 (BBE) says, "And make us free of our debts, as we have made those free who are in debt to us." This "debt" is the wrongs which people do to us.

I must admit that there are some bad memories which I still struggle with. But prayer and letting the Lord deal with those miscreants and inconsiderate people who abused me has helped me let go of many bad incidents in my past. Romans 12:19 (BBE) reminds us to, "Do not give punishment for wrongs done to you, dear brothers, but give way to the wrath of God; for it is said in the holy Writings, 'Punishment is mine, I will give reward,' says the Lord."

Of course we still have our human urge to hold onto past hurts. That's like a certain English demolition expert who was called out to a farm because a woman found a stick of dynamite on top of the coal in the shed. When he picked up the stick, one end felt softer than the other. Then he heard a large dog barking from inside the house. He stood there, stunned that he was actually holding onto something the dog left behind. That stick is what our past hurts are like.

May we all let go of the messes of our past and let our heavenly Father deal with those who wounded us.

Forced to Observe Lent - Marnie Pohlmann

I don’t know what the situation with the coronavirus and Covid-19 will be when this post shows up for you because the news changes daily. At the time of writing this, we are to wash our hands every 20 minutes, stay two meters apart, self-isolate, and one site even says to avoid singing in a group.

For me, as an introvert, social distancing and self-isolation are like a dream. Sign me up! Yet for extraverts, all this may range anywhere from an inconvenience to extreme torture.

I have been thinking about how each of us tries to do our part to stop the spread of this new pandemic. As a writer, are others intruding on your creative space? As a Christian, are you struggling to find a balance between concern and faith?

As Spock from Star Trek said, “The good of the many outweighs the good of the one.” This time is one for which this quote applies. We are to sacrifice our own wants and needs to protect others, from the most vulnerable to those who continue to serve our communities.

Sacrifice goes against our natural grain. We have become, or rather always were, a society that wants what we want when we want it. So now, to be asked to share toilet paper and limit where we can go can be a new and uncomfortable experience.

The season of Lent gives us an opportunity to practice this very form of sacrifice. Not giving up what we choose to give up but by seeking ways to isolate some time alone with God and finding ways to sacrifice by serving someone else. The purpose of Lent has never been to simply give up for a short time a vice that would be good for us to give up anyway. Lent is a time that is meant to change us for good, and forever.

Lent is a time to focus on Jesus. An opportunity to focus on when He set down his Crown in Heaven to become man, to live a human life, to enter ministry focusing on others, and to die. At the end of this time of Lenten focus, we celebrate Christ’s resurrection. On Easter Sunday we remember how Jesus defeated earthly death, freed the prisoners, and became, on our behalf, the pure sacrifice needed to allow us to enter God’s presence. Lent is a time to identify with how Jesus served others, sacrificially.

At the beginning of His ministry, when Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness, Satan taunted and tested Him. I see three areas that Satan used to tempt the Lord. Physical needs - food (Luke 4:3-4); emotional needs - riches and power (Luke 4:5-8); and spiritual needs – knowledge of Truth (Luke 4:9-13.) During Lent we may also sacrifice in these areas by giving up a favourite dessert, giving rather than taking, or spending more time than usual in Bible study. You may not usually take part in Lent but consider this present pandemic isolation as a “forced” lent.

Physically - give up some foods that you like – you may not have a choice about this, as grocery stores are unable to restock their shelves as quickly as they sell out. Give away excess (toilet paper) that you may not need.

Emotionally – consider others; those who are in the same situation as you and those who are continuing to serve your community. Staying together at home can be difficult for families when they are not used to being in one another’s way for this long. Mind your tongue. Be considerate. Don’t whine. Protect one another from illness by practicing good hygiene.

Spiritually – use this time apart from others to delve into God’s Word. We may not understand some Scripture or be mistaken in our thinking. Be open to God correcting your viewpoint by showing you what He means and desires from you on a personal level.

Social distancing and self-isolation are in direct contrast to what God instructs for His people. We are to “not forsake” gathering (Hebrews 10:25.) We are to be a family, a community, part of One Body. We are not to be afraid of persecution, illness, or death. Martin Luther said to be Christian was to not run away from a plague, while exercising common sense.

We must obey the laws of our land (Romans 13:1) and we must also not forsake one another. It may be safer, at this time, for churches to close to reduce the spread of Covid-19, but it is also sad, that churches are not available to those needing comfort and hope. How can we gather while remaining apart? Is it enough to watch an online sermon on Sunday morning?

Here are a few suggestions for maintaining Christ-focused relationship and community. 

•  Phone the seniors of your congregation or community. Our older members often treasure gatherings of the church on Sundays and during the week. They may not have a computer to visit with someone online. They could become very lonely when isolated.

• Check with the young families, as Moms and Dads worry about their children. You may be able to offer some reassurance from Scripture.

• Do an online or phone Bible study with a teenager, to strengthen their faith during the uncertainty of these days.

• As the weather allows for outside time, be available to talk with your neighbour over the fence or from across the road. Be purposeful in your conversation.

• Meet, but in smaller groups of 5-50, as your Province allows. Try to maintain physical separation as much as you can and remember to wash your hands. And of course, if you have even the slightest symptom or may have been in contact with someone who may be sick, stay home.

We can try to ensure no one feels they are alone. I’m sure you can come up with many ways to offer the Hope of life in Christ during this time of illness and death that is causing so much fear throughout the world.

Some military spouses turn the porch lights on when their loved one is deployed and do not turn it off again until their safe return. Some communities are placing red hearts in their windows to encourage those walking by that they are not alone; we are in this together. Can we as Christians offer God’s comfort and salvation to our church family, our neighbourhood, our community, and the world?

I suggested we could keep our porch lights on. My husband suggests we hang a scarlet rope, ribbon, or banner on our home, like Rahab did to declare she believed in God (Joshua 2.) This will not keep our homes miraculously protected or free from the coronavirus, but will declare we are willing to go beyond the concern and fear to assist another, offering the Peace we know as our Lord Jesus Christ, and if able, to fill a physical, emotional, or other spiritual needs.

We are forced to practice sacrifice this Lenten season, and this may continue past when we usually celebrate our salvation at Easter. As Christians, we can willingly sacrifice for the good of the world, like Jesus did.

Be the church.

Along the Via Dolorosa by Valerie Ronald

The streets of Old Jerusalem are silent witnesses to centuries of history. Their narrow, winding passageways still echo with the tramp of soldier’s boots and the soft scuff of barefooted pilgrims. One route in particular bears an ancient Latin name descriptive of an event that changed the world. The Via Dolorosa, meaning “way of suffering”, is believed to be the path that Jesus walked on the way to His crucifixion. The winding route covers a distance of about 600 metres, marked by nine Stations of the Cross based on biblical accounts of events leading up to the death of Jesus.

I am not a traditional Lenten observer. For medical reasons, I cannot fast from food, and I do not feel a driving necessity to abstain from much in my simple lifestyle in order to remember what Christ went through. What I have done in my decades as a believer is spend the season of Lent walking with Him through His Passion; a mental pilgrimage down the Via Dolorosa, if you will. Considering the eternal impact of the events leading up to the cross, there are not a lot of descriptive details in the gospel accounts. As I repeatedly, thoughtfully read each account, I imagine myself in the various scenes or as the different characters. It is how it all becomes real to me, hearing the sounds, seeing the faces, smelling the odors of dust and blood and seething crowds. I walk the Via Dolorosa alongside my beloved Lord and Savior. His way of suffering brings paths of tears down my cheeks with each step I take.

Following is what I imagine Simon of Cyrene may have experienced in his singular encounter with Jesus.

Simon of Cyrene   

Drawn by the roar of an excited mob, I stepped out from a narrow Jerusalem street into a scene of mayhem. I, Simon, had traveled far from my home in Cyrene to celebrate Passover on the Temple Mount, never expecting to come upon such chaos on a Feast Day. Fists punching the air, voices yelling invectives, the crowd surged closer to the entrance of the Praetorium. I found myself absorbed in the seething throng, jostled and pushed until I was thrown up against the open gate.

The object of the crowd’s ridicule hardly seemed worth their fury. Surrounded by a company of Roman soldiers, a man beaten and bloodied beyond recognition struggled under the burden of a heavy beam. I winced at the gruesome sight of the prisoner’s back laid open by brutal flogging and his limbs purple and swollen from countless blows. I had seen condemned prisoners before but none tortured so viciously. The man’s face was a mass of open flesh where his beard had been plucked out; his brow gouged by the long, cruel thorns pressed on his head. Blood filled the hollows of his eyes, running down his chin to pool on the paving stones at his feet. I thought of my sons, Alexander and Rufus, relieved they were not here to witness this atrocity.
 
“Crucify him! Crucify him!”, screamed the mob while soldiers goaded the prisoner forward through the gate. His clothing hung in bloodied shreds, still I recognized remnants of the tasseled stole of a rabbi. Could this be the rabbi I had heard stories about ever since arriving in Jerusalem? The one rumored to have healed the sick and raised the dead? Some even linked the title Messiah to his name. Surely he did not deserve this inhuman treatment.

I wanted to shut out the awful procession; close my eyes to the pain and blood, my ears to the labored gasps for air, my nose to the reek of sweat, but I could not. The prisoner sagged beneath the weight of the rough timber, stumbled then collapsed to his knees at my feet. Sentenced to die, he was forced to carry the beam of his own cross to the place of crucifixion but he could go no further. 

Suddenly rough soldier hands grabbed me, shoving me toward the man on the ground, shouting at me to pick up the beam and carry it for him. I felt the sharp prod of a Roman spear in my side and knew I must obey or die. As I stooped to lift the blood-slick beam, the condemned man raised his head to look at me. Roaring mob, forceful soldiers, the smell of blood faded before that capturing gaze. The pain and suffering creasing the man’s brow and squinting his eyes could not diminish the absolute love blazing out. I felt my heart suspend its beat for the length of that look, only to take it up again as a renewed heart, an alive heart touched by this almost-dead rabbi. 

Hefting the rough wood across my shoulders, I felt sticky blood staining my hands but was not repulsed. Instead, strength coursed through my limbs, enough to grip the beam with one hand, reaching down my other to help the bleeding man to his feet. The crowd parted as we moved towards Golgotha.

(based on Mark 15:21)

Valerie Ronald lives in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba. She is a graduate of Vancouver’s Langara College journalism program, and has worked as a newspaper reporter, freelance writer, public speaker and bookstore employee.Valerie finds being a member of the Manitoba Christian Writers Association has honed her writing skills and confidence. She writes devotionals for her home church bulletins and her online blog. Her current book project chronicles how God’s faithfulness saw her through the dark valleys of divorce and cancer. Along with her husband, Valerie enjoys spending time with their blended family and six grandchildren.She is a nature photographer, water colorist, cat lover and Scrabble addict.
    

More of her devotionals can be read on her blog   https://scriptordeus.wordpress.com

The Sacrifice Lamb by Joylene M Bailey

Photo by Matt Seymour on Unsplash

“Celebrating Lent was not part of my Baptist upbringing” was how I was going to begin this blog post. But then I thought, I don’t even know if ‘celebrating’ is the right word. That’s how much I know about Lent. Do you celebrate Lent, or practice it? Observe it? Maybe you just get through it.

And so …

Lent was not part of my Baptist upbringing. I remember hearing comments about it from some of my friends at school, but I never paid any attention to them.

As I got into my teen years, I learned a little more. You gave up something, like chocolate, for 40 days. I could never figure out why chocolate would have anything to do with the days leading up to Easter … unless it had something to do with those one-pound solid chocolate bunnies we always got in our Easter baskets. Could that be it? No chocolate, no chocolate, no chocolate. BOOM! Chocolate!

Image by pasja1000 from Pixabay 

It didn’t make any sense to me.

So when this month’s theme came up, I asked the Lord to teach me what Lent was all about. What is it about giving something up for 40 days? Sacrificing something.

And what is real sacrifice anyway?

That’s the question I was pondering when I had lunch with a good friend. She mentioned that her Bible Study group was learning about Jewish feasts and festivals. Passover is the next one.

“Did you know,” she said, “that in the Old Testament, when the Israelites were preparing to celebrate Passover, they chose the unblemished lamb five days before it was slaughtered? They brought it into the house to live with them.”

Then she calmly went on to take another bite of salad while I sat there stunned.

They brought the lamb into the house? Where the adults would trip over it? Where the children would play with it and then fall in love with it? This lamb that would be slaughtered five days later would break the children’s hearts.

Photo by Bill Fairs on Unsplash

In that split second I began to understand what true sacrifice meant.

So now, not only was I researching Lent, I was researching Passover.

Sure enough. The lamb was chosen five days prior to Passover, on Lamb Selection Day. It was brought into the house for those five days so that it could be inspected and proved to be unblemished. And then, slaughtered at twilight five days later.

To my astonishment, I learned that Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey on Lamb Selection Day. Five days later he was crucified, on the day that the Passover lambs were being slaughtered. Our Sacrifice Lamb.

So, what is real sacrifice?

It’s what broke the children’s hearts to have their pet slaughtered. It’s what tore Mary’s heart to see her son beaten and crucified. It’s what God the Father and Jesus the Son were willing to go through for the salvation of all mankind. For my salvation.

Lent … sacrifice … Passover … sacrifice … My brain was making the connections. And it being MY brain, needed this all to boil down to the lowest common denominator.

I understand that there are many components to Lent, but for me it all comes down to one thing: Remembering the Sacrifice.

Now I know that those who choose to give up something for Lent do so to remind themselves, every time they find themselves reaching for the thing they’ve given up, that Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice.

I don’t know that I’ll start observing Lent now, but on this journey God has brought me to a fresh understanding. And all through the eyes of a child and a pet lamb.

Image by Thomas B. from Pixabay 

~~~~~~~~~~

These are some of the websites I went to in my research for this post. They are worth checking out:

https://whatthenwhynow.org/the-path-of-the-lamb/

https://acts242study.com/lamb-selection-day/

https://www.crosswalk.com/blogs/jason-soroski/passion-week-part-1-lamb-selection-day.html

http://jewishrootsofchristianity.org/pdfs/120329-jesus-triumphal-entry.pdf

https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/lent-101-honoring-the-sacrifice-of-jesus-1382259.html

https://www.hebrew4christians.com/Holidays/Introduction/introduction.html

~~~~~~~~~~

Joy writes from her home in Edmonton where she is presently hunkering down with the Cowboy and Babe. Find more of her writing at Scraps of Joy.

What to Make of Lent... Tracy Krauss

When I looked at this month's theme, I wasn't quite sure what to do with the prompt. Like some others, Lent was never really part of my tradition, either growing up, or now as a mature Christian. It's not that I don't think the practice of giving something up has no value. I'm sure it does, and for many people it is a concrete way for them to honour God that also has lasting and profound impact on their own walk with Him.

I did not come to know Christ as my personal Saviour until I reached young adulthood. However, growing up I had a close friend whose family were devout Catholics and who practiced Lent quite faithfully, even though I'm not sure if there was a personal relationship involved. I remember my friend giving up various things each year. Once it was candy; another time it was a certain TV show. It seemed like a silly ritual to me and I was glad nobody was making me do such a thing!

I didn't understand it at the time, obviously, or the significance it can have to one's faith walk.  I also thought it was a tradition specific to Catholics. I since realize that many denominations encourage participation in Lent. When we were pastoring in the Yukon we enjoyed participating in Shrove Tuesday - which included yummy pancakes at the Anglican church - along with other members of the community. It was a way to demonstrate unity among the churches, one of our main focuses while ministering there for eight years.

Two of my grown daughters now attend a more reserved and liturgical church than the Pentecostal one they were raised in. They love the ceremony and sense of reverence they feel there, and although my husband and I prefer our own 'style' of church, I know that my girls love the strong foundation in the Word and in church traditions that they find in their new church home. People who attend genuinely love the Lord and really, what more is there? I include this here because observing Lent is an important part of what they now do with their own young families. I approve and try to support these decisions.

I have appreciated hearing the various perspectives this month and thank each one of you for your honesty and open hearts. I admire those that do choose to make Lent part of their faith tradition for whatever reason. In the end, although I still don't practice anything special for Lent, I try to live my life in a way that honours Christ all year round.
________________________________________________

Tracy Krauss lives and writes from her home in Tumbler Ridge, BC. and is currently serving as InScribe's president. http://tracykrauss.com

Lenten Reflections by Sheila Webster

This day in the Lenten calendar is a little more than halfway through the 2020 Lenten season. How does one feel when they at this point? Are they energized or dreading the next days? Are temptations tempered or taunting at this point? What reflections are made? What sacrifices?

At times when I have fasted, the first three days seem the hardest but further in I feel sharper and more focused. I know not everyone attains that.

This year, while contemplating Lent during this season of my own deep grief, I have wondered a lot about the Garden of Gethsemane and the preparation that came before the dark hours of agony.

Tonight I remembered when I physically visited the Garden outside the old walls of Jerusalem in 1986. I still remember the beauty of the garden in stark contrast to some of its surroundings.

I contemplate the things we do not know from ancient records about the garden. Things like if Jesus and the disciples had gone to the same garden and broke bread together in the bejewelled morning dew, or sat sipping sweet middle eastern tea in the scorching midday, perhaps splitting pomegranates and letting the juice run down their beards as the summer sun slipped like a quarter into a back pocket on the horizon.

And if they did one or all of these things, what did they think of while they participated? Did the times of idle fellowship, earnest conversation and sweet contemplation figure into their later writings? The writings that came after the hours of agony, denial and sacrifice?

Lent is always a season of reflection for me - memories of Israel, thoughts of the ever present Kingdom of God being at hand intermixed with the wonder that the most vulnerable of all - a baby - not an army, aome into the world and changed us one heart at a time.

May that knowledge this Lenten season remind us of our own garden moments and friendships that have brought joy and pain. Those moments which have changed the world around us one heart at a time through our careful recording of the joy and agony of life under the illuminated shadow of the cross.

What are You Giving Up for Lent? by Nina Faye Morey

It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone,

but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’

~ Matthew 4:4 (NIV)

The concept of Lent runs contrary to our mainstream North American culture. We live in a society that prides itself on having plenty, and we’re driven by an insatiable need for immediate self-gratification. We constantly run to and fro, pride ourselves on always being busy, and our lives are full of stress.

However, Lent should mean much more to us than just another ritualistic event in the liturgical calendar that we must dutifully observe. It is meant to be a solemn season of reflection, prayer, penance, self-denial, and spiritual preparation for Easter. We are to deprive ourselves of something we hold dear in recognition of the ultimate sacrifice Christ made for us on the cross—His life for ours. We are also to share in the suffering and self-sacrifice He endured during those long 40 days spent in the desert depriving Himself of any form of sustenance (Luke 4:2, Matthew 4:2). That is the origin of the Lenten tradition of commemorating our Lord’s suffering and sacrifice with a forty day period of fasting.

We get several perspectives on this practice of fasting from the Bible. It can be practiced for a variety of reasons, but it’s usually interpreted as a complete abstinence from food from morning until evening as a means of seeking the Lord through reflection and prayer (Daniel 9:3). Fasting is observed on the Day of Atonement as an expression of sorrow and repentance for sin (Leviticus 16:29-30). Fasting and prayers are also used to petition for God’s intervention. David’s fasting and prayers were a plea for God to spare the life of his child (2 Samuel 12:15-17.22).

I must admit that I don’t always observe the season of Lent. Not having grown up observing this religious tradition, it often passes by without my giving it the consideration it deserves. It will be half over before I overhear it discussed in other’s conversations or someone asks me that inevitable question, “What are you giving up for Lent?” Then rather embarrassed about my laxity, I’ll commit, rather late in the season, to deprive myself of something that I would normally enjoy indulging in.

I don’t pretend to have the willpower to fast completely for 40 straight days like our Lord Jesus. However, I have often committed to fasting for one or two days a week during Lent, allowing myself only the conventional small evening meal—meatless if it happens to be a Friday. Although for several years now I’ve been mainly a vegetarian, so perhaps I shouldn’t really count the latter as a sacrifice. Although Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are supposed to be full fast days, I confess they are not always ones I’ve managed to strictly observe. Nevertheless, fasting does seem to have become my usual form of sacrifice for Lent.

One other Lenten sacrifice I’ve occasionally observed is giving up all fast food for the duration. I attempted that one last year but lost the battle mid-April during a visit to A&W with the grandchildren. Sweets and deserts are another indulgence that I’ve managed to successfully sacrifice—with the exception of chocolate. I have also considered sacrificing my morning coffee for Lent, but have so far failed miserably to develop the degree of self-control that requires. I suppose if I tried a little harder, I could come up with more cravings or desires that I might forgo to remind myself to focus more on prayer and spiritual matters during this period of penitential preparation for Easter.

Recently, I read about someone choosing to give up all forms of social media for the duration of Lent. I thought that sounded like a great idea at first, until I realized that I don’t actually engage often with social media. So, I guess I couldn’t really count that as a meaningful sacrifice. As Bob Jones mentioned in his blog, I’ve also considered giving up TV watching for Lent. But I haven’t yet mustered up the fortitude required to give up my favourites—the movie channels and various news programs on CNN, CBC, CTV, BBC, CNBC . . . umm, better make that my addictions!

But perhaps the best suggestion I’ve read for observing Lent is to put the focus on others rather than on ourselves. This form of “fasting” would involve sacrificing our time and talents to undertake such things as working towards remediating the injustices of hunger and homelessness, offering help and healing to those in need, donating clothing to a thrift shop, or making amends for any wrongs or sins we’ve committed.

Whatever form of fasting we choose to observe for Lent, Jesus reminds us that our fasting is not to be a viewed as a prideful exercise of show and tell (Matthew 6:16-18). Rather it is a time for us to pray, to ponder our sins, and to turn to God in genuine repentance.

What form of fasting will you practice this Lenten season?

Lent - Guest Post by Ruth Ann Adams

I glanced at the text message, just before beginning classes on the morning of Ash Wednesday. The news was disappointing. Overwhelmingly so.

My intentions this Lent were to watch my thoughts and words, not complain, dwell on the positives. Now it was all I could do to get through my work day. When my husband picked me up, I waited until we got home and then vented, hurling negative words, shattering my goals for Lent before even twenty-four hours had passed.

My journey with Lent began many years ago as a new bride and minister’s wife. Since I had switched denominations when I married, there were some traditions that were unfamiliar. “Do you know what this means?” a parishioner asked me, during my first Lenten season. I gulped a little, not knowing the answer. What was really the purpose in observing these weeks before Easter?

Since those early days as a novice, Lent has evolved into a meaningful part of my faith walk, with three guiding components.  

Fasting:

My husband invited some of his congregations to participate in a “Daniel” type fast, giving up sweet desserts and junk food. This is patterned off two passages. In Daniel 1:8-16, Daniel refuses to make himself unclean by eating Babylonian food. He calls his fellow Hebrews to give up “choice foods” for vegetables. Later, Daniel undertakes a special fast for three weeks to seek revelation about the plight of his people in Babylonian captivity and the spiritual bondage behind it.

“At that time I, Daniel, mourned for three weeks. I ate no choice food; no meat or wine touched my lips; and I used no lotions at all until the three weeks were over” (Daniel 10:2-3, NIV).

Following Daniel’s example, we fast during Lent to consecrate ourselves to God and seek for wisdom and understanding.

Some years have been more successful than others, ranging from near perfect abstinence to numerous slips. Right now, I would love a cola drink and piece of chocolate. Okay, more than one piece of chocolate. Reducing excess sugar, though, is good for our bodies. Fasting is biblical and associated with times set aside for prayer, repentance and contemplation.

Prayer:

Before Lent begins, I write specific targeted prayers in my journal. These become my prayer focus, the needs and concerns I lay before God. Jesus provides the basis for this type of concentrated prayer during his forty days in  the wilderness, a time of preparation involving prayer and fasting. The forty days correspond to the forty days of Lent (minus the Sundays).

“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted  by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, ‘If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread’” (Matthew 4:1-3, NIV).

The time Jesus spent alone with his Father prepared him for the temptations and ministry ahead, culminating with the cross. We need times of prayer and preparation for the work he wants to do in and through us.

Giving to others:

This year, I have decided to watch my words and focus on the positives, as a way to give to others, to encourage them in their own faith journey. I am still unhappy about the contents of the text message. However, this is where

 the purpose of observing Lent is most clearly displayed. It is not about us, our performance, our failures. Practising Lent is not an obligation. Instead it is a way to focus on Jesus and his sacrifice on the cross. Jesus died so that we could enter into relationship with him, obtain forgiveness and grace and the power to change.

God bless you!

Ruth Ann Adams is a high school English teacher, mother of five and pastor's wife. She has been published in anthologies and magazines. Ruth Ann has a passion to bring God's encouragement to others. She loves cats and British history. Her blog, 5 X Mama,  can be found at ruthannadams.com.

Don't Give Up or Give In by Steph Beth Nickel

Do you give up certain foods or behaviours during Lent?

Typically, I don’t … for a couple of reasons:

1. The denomination I belong to doesn’t follow the liturgical calendar.
2. When I’ve given up something in the past, I’ve typically thought more about that something than I have what the Lord has done for me, which, of course, should be the reason for whatever “fast” we participate in.

This year, however, I decided to revisit Lent. It all began with some of the authors and podcasters I follow on social media. From newly published 40-day devotionals to online group studies … I wanted to take it all in. (Hmm, sounds a lot like the opposite of giving things up actually.)

My hubby and I have set aside our collaborative study of Mary DeMuth’s Outrageous Grace Every 
Day and are studying Margaret Feinberg’s Beautiful Life, a study of the book of James.

I am using Asheritah Ciuciu’s Lenten study, Uncovering the Love of Jesus, in my personal quiet time.

I also plan to participate in Kathi Lipp’s Clutter Free Bible Study, which is how I first became involved with Kathi’s online community—and subsequently became one of her interns.

Further, I’ve signed up to join Amy Carroll and Cheri Gregory on Facebook in the study of their book, Exhale. 

And then, of course, I may try to carve out time to study Michelle Cushatt’s book Relentless. 

Wait! Wasn’t I talking about giving things up?

Regardless of my ridiculously jam-packed reading schedule (do I really need sleep?), I have chosen to set some things aside as we approach Easter, the most incredible day of the Christian calendar in my mind.

What matters less than what I’ve decided to set aside and habits I’m seeking to pursue are the immediate changes it has brought about.

I’m not missing the things I’m fasting from. And yes, I know Lent just began. (Note: I’m writing this on February 29.) I am not only benefiting spiritually as I seek to “take every thought captive to obey Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5 ESV) but also mentally, emotionally, and physically. God is so very
gracious!

I gave this post the title “Don’t Give Up or Give In.”

Let’s not give up on the following—whether we give up something for Lent or not:

1. Regular time with the Lord.
2. Studying the Scriptures. Although there are a plethora of books, blogs, and podcasts that serve as wonderful resources, there is nothing like digging into God’s Word.
3. Seizing even brief opportunities throughout the day to focus on what He has done for us.
4. Communing with Him in prayer, whether for hours in our prayer closet or moments between tasks.
5. Truly fellowshipping with other believers. This takes time and effort that many of us don’t allot for in our crazy schedules. 

How can we overcome our tendency to give in? (Granted, what tempts me to give in may not affect you at all, but we all have our areas of weakness.)

1. I love making lists. Lately, I’ve begun to prioritize my list. Crossing off a high priority task or one that has been on my list for ages is far more satisfying than crossing off several tasks that aren’t all that important. (For some of the things I consider most important, see the list above.)
2. Don’t want to give into the tendency to procrastinate? While this will sound odd coming from me, limiting the items on our To Do list will help us achieve more. Better to accomplish more than we thought we could than to always have things left on our list at the end of the day that we wish we could have accomplished. (I may put this saying on my wall. Maybe.)
3. Tempted to throw up your hands and say, “What’s the use?” Stay focused on the task at hand. Seeking to multitask, which is a fallacy, we become less productive. Too often I flit from one thing to the next to the next when it isn’t necessary.
4. Accountability is extremely helpful. There are online groups and apps that can serve to hold us accountable. But there is always the “old-fashioned” method of pairing up with someone you know personally, sharing your goal with them, and deciding how and when you will check in with one another. 
5. Be kind to yourself. Factoring in “the cheats” can be extremely helpful. Giving up dessert for Lent? Why not allow yourself one treat on the weekend? Miss your devotional time one day? How about setting a goal of reading a brief passage and praying first thing in the morning or last thing at night three times a week? If you can do more … great! If not, you will have achieved your goal. Have more left on your To Do list at the end of the day than you were able to accomplish? See Tips 1 & 2.

Whether we give up something for Lent or not, let’s focus on what Jesus accomplished on our behalf. Let’s seek Him for the strength not to give up on those things He has called us to and not to give in to overwhelm.

Lenten Thoughts by Susan Barclay

I didn't grow up with the Lenten tradition, nor do I always participate in its observance. This year I'll be away for part of the season and so I hesitate to make the necessary commitment. Does this sound bad when Christ set aside everything to commit to me...?

As I write this, I'm just three sleeps away from my holiday. I'm tired and I still have a lot to do before we go - laundry, packing, shopping. It's hard to think, much less think clearly. So today I will keep it short. Or at least I'll try.

Lent 2020 begins February 26th and runs to April 9th. 40 days. 40 potentially long days since one is expected to give up something that feels like sacrifice. Of course, those days in the wilderness were long for Jesus as well, without food to nourish his body. And depriving ourselves - not necessarily of nutrition, but of something else to which we perhaps pay too much attention - certainly allows us to share in our Lord's sufferings. I don't make light of that because it is what we are called to as His disciples.

Lent also calls us to reflect on Jesus' life, ministry, and work on the cross. For our sins He died. No one else could make propitiation for us; no one else qualified to be a lamb unblemished. As the songs say, only He can save; there is power in the blood. What could wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Lent can be important if it draws you closer to the One who loved you enough to give His life for you. If it's just a ritual for the sake of checking a box, what's the point? If you're trying to impress others with a high-minded spiritual exercise, where's the glory for God? God examines our motives and knows our hearts. It's all about Him. If you get your applause here, from others or in self-congratulation, you have received your reward in full.

For me this whole year is about centring on the Lord. It's not just a 40-day period but 365. Whom have I in heaven but Him? I'm striving to desire Him more than anything on earth. I'm striving to agree with the psalmist that though my health may fail and my spirit grow weak, God remains the strength of my heart and is mine forever (Psalm 73:25-26). That is more valuable to me than any Lenten exercise, though even in my currently sub-par state I recognize Lent can accomplish this for some.

Celebrating Lent for the right reasons? Excellent. If not, refocus and regroup or give it a pass. God is not looking for lip-service, but for those who will worship Him in spirit and in truth.

You can find out more about Susan Barclay's writing at www.susan-barclay.blogspot.com

Drawing Closer to God During Lent by Lynn J Simpson

It had been one of those days. Those half a tub of Ben & Jerry’s Chocolate Fudge Brownie ice cream was gone kind of days. And I am a vanilla-liking girl! I also tend to stay away from dairy as it can disagree with my digestion from time to time. Knowing that my self-control was out of control, I poured hot water over the remaining ice-cream until it was only a mush of brown slime in the kitchen sink while trying to keep my late mother’s voice in my thoughts from interfering: “What about those starving children in Africa?” 

I wasted good ice-cream that is also a perfect for a treat for my grandchildren due to my insatiable desire to feel better with a wordly item. I mindlessly overindulged to try to relieve and distract myself from what I considered a bad day. And then a short time later I read Sandi Somers' words, our first post for this month's topic of Lent. 

"Self-denial

A good friend described self-denial as a sacrifice, giving up something that’s hard to do. Perhaps excesses or preoccupations or distractions."

Jesus always meets us where we are at, doesn't He? 

Drawing closer to God from the Lenten practice of Self-denial

Removing what gets in our way of our relationship with God and repenting of our sins clears space for prayer and reverence of Christ’s sacrifice for us on the cross. Abstaining from something, even fasting, is often used to observe Lent. During my years in elementary school, I remember the religion class exercise of writing what I would give-up for the Lenten season. Generally this would be cookies after dinner, chewing gum, or spending my allowance on chocolate bars. Now with a maturer faith, I understand that self-denial of something is not just an act of obedience to observe Lent, but to draw closer to God in remembrance of the sufferings of Christ. Whenever I choose to use an improper worldly way that takes control of my life, I move toward sin rather than toward God. 

So, this Lenten season I am going to back to my childhood ways of observing lent, however with a maturer intention of repentance and remembrance. Instead of mindlessly binging on Netflix or purchasing a single serving of cake, I will reach for God’s presence in prayer. When I am troubled and worrisome, instead of seeking comfort in ways that lead to over indulgence and sin, I will seek out His words either in my bible or in my bible app on my phone ( that is readily available when grocery shopping). These acts of self-discipline will take effort! They will also strengthen faith. 

Is there something that is taking control over your life leading to sin? Is there something in your life to give-up to help you remember the sufferings of Christ on the cross? What can you do that will turn your heart in remembrance and repentance toward the suffering of Christ this Lenten season?

I pray you draw comfort, too, this Lenten season, in remembering that God’s grace is not earned, but a gift from His Son’s sacrifice on the cross. 

For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled, upright and and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope-the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. (NIV) Titus 2:11-14 

Awakening Our Spirits During Lent by Sandi Somers

Our prompt for Lent was framed with the following questions: “How do you observe Lent? What impact does the time of leading up to Easter mean to you, your faith and your writing?”

In past years, my Easter preparation has been to read a Gospel, or read books such as Lee Strobel’s The Case for Christ. This year, however, I wanted to engage more deeply in the meaning and beauty of Lent. Not coming from a Liturgical background, I researched both the history and regular practices of Lent. One helpful resource was SharonEspeseth’s earlier blogs on Lent. She challenged us to wake up our souls for Lent through goals, reading devotionals, prayer, repentance, fasting, and almsgiving.

Sharon’s concept of “waking up” resonated with me. It’s pre-spring, and in spring we wake up to new life after the cold, dark days of winter. Birds will soon return, and early spring flowers will poke through the soil. Just so, Lent is meant to awaken our spirits to its meaning. (The word “Lent” actually comes from the Old English meaning of “spring”!)

While we’re only a few days into Lent, God is already awakening me to focus on several important components.

Time with God

Several days ago, God prompted me to spend extended time with Him. Doing so fits into Lent’s second meaning: “slow” in Latin, a time we slow down to put our lives in order and to clarify priorities—like spiritual housecleaning. Without first spending time with God, I could become too absorbed in Lent’s self-examination, and my spirit can become heavy with my needs and the needs of others. How much I need to be reminded of Nehemiah’s words to his people: “The Joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10). 

Confession and Repentance

God has awakened my spirit to greater confession and repentance, common practices of Lent. "Search me O God," the psalmist David wrote (Psalm 139:23-24). While self-examination is important, the Spirit points to areas that I need to confess. The Book of Common Prayer sums it up well: “We have left undone those things which we ought to have done; and we have done those things which we ought not to have done.” We also confess things that have become too important—idols--including vices outlined in Galatians 5:19-21 and Ephesians 5:3-15

Collective Confession

Confession for me means going beyond myself to confess and call Canada back to God, especially during the current and past turbulences. My prayer has become, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)

Self-denial

A good friend described self-denial as a sacrifice, giving up something that’s hard to do. Perhaps excesses or preoccupations or distractions. For me, that means cutting cut down on coffee. Also, with living alone, I have a lot of time to myself. God has prompted me to spend more time with my extended family—through phone calls, emails/texts, visits, and invitations. I know there will be more self-denials to come.

         

Fasting to “Give It up for Freedom”

Scriptures teach that through self-denial and fasting, we can free ourselves and others from injustice and oppression (Isaiah 58:6-12). The International Justice Ministry has challenged me this Lent to “Give it up for freedom”, giving what money I save from my excesses to help stop slavery. 

As I’ve begun formal practices of Lent, I’m focusing more and more on why I’m observing this season. “Jesus came to defeat the Devil and Death,” wrote Barry Krammes, “but He also came to apply His victory to our daily lives. As we carefully examine ourselves we become keenly aware of our short-comings and sins but at the same time we are filled with overwhelming joy as we meditate on Jesus’ life and how He endured the cross for our salvation.”[i]

God is ready to awaken our spirits, not only during Lent, but also throughout the year. I pray you would have a listening ear and tender heart to respond to the “deep, deep love of Jesus”. 

For reflection:

As you describe your pre-Easter or Lenten journey this year, what principles help you most to focus on what Christ has done for you? How can your blog encourage your readers? 

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[i] Barry Krammes in “About” in http://ccca.biola.edu/lent/2020/#day-feb-27

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