There's not much emphasis about Lent in the Baptist church. In fact, my first exposure to the term came as a teenager when a Catholic friend came to school with ashes on her forehead after having been to early mass and I whispered - to save her embarassment, of course - that her forehead was smudged and would she like me to wipe it off. Guess who ended up being embarassed? GRIN After that, I recall hearing friends talk about what they had "given up" for Lent . . . in my teenage corner of the world, it was usually chocolate!
Lent is the forty day period before Easter (not counting the Sundays). It began in the very earliest days of the church (6th century or before, I think) as a personal preparation for celebrating Easter. By observing the 40 days of Lent, believers imitate Jesus' withdrawal into the wilderness for 40 days prior to beginning His earthly ministry. I think there is much to be learned by giving attention to some of the earliest practices of the faith. This past Christmas I gave special focus in my devotional time to Advent and God blessed my study time and kept me more focused personally on Christ throughout the busy season than I have been in many years. I am still a bit grieved not to have gotten to blog about some of it.
For that reason, He has awakened in my heart a real desire to give special attention to Lent this year. Thank you, my precious Abba, for what You want to teach me these days between now and Easter. Thank you for the drawing of Your Spirit. Wasn't The Spirit the reason Jesus was in the wilderness for 40 days? The Bible doesn't say that Jesus decided to go into the wilderness. It says He was led by the Spirit (Matt. 4:1, Mark 1:12, Luke 4:1).
The Bible doesn't tell us much about what took place during those 40 days except that Jesus was in a wilderness and he was tempted by the devil. I've often likened my years in depression to being in a wilderness and, trust me, it's NOT a place I want to visit again! And, being tempted by the devil . . . no thanks! Had enough of that lately! BUT you know what . . . Jesus emerged from that wilderness full of the Spirit of God and empowered to face all that the next few years would mean for Him. And I, most assuredly, DO want that! I want to be filled with His Spirit. I want His power at work within me enabling me to face the challenges of life.
During this Lent Season I am asking my Heavenly Father to lead me into a season of soul-searching. This is Ash Wednesday - a day to reflect upon the fact that we are dust, and to dust we will return (Gen. 3:19). When my time on earth has passed and I return to the dust of the earth, I am so thankful to know that my Spirit will live on with Him - gloriously - in Heaven. I will see Him as He is . . . and I will be like Him! Oh, it's too wonderful to even imagine! But when that time has come, what will be said of me here on earth? I don't want my life to have been wasted. I want those who come behind me to have found me faithful.
This Ash Wednesday, I want Christ my Savior, to dip His finger into the dirt of this same earth He spoke into existence and touch my heart with healing ashes the way He did some of the needy people He encountered during His earthly ministry. Ashes, Ashes. I WANT to fall down. I want to fall down at His feet in repentance for the many times I have "fallen" . . . I want to fall down at His feet in worship for the many times He has lifted me up. I want to stay at His feet this 40 days and learn of Him.
I will rejoice and be glad in your steadfast love,
because you have seen my affliction;
you have known the distress of my soul,
and you have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy;
you have set my feet in a broad place.
(Ps. 31:7-8)
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