Learning Lent

Lent has often been associated with the ashes on a forehead. As someone who attended an Episcopalian college preparatory school, I took part in Ash Wednesday services often. Sadly, I understood next to nothing about it other than it was part of the Christian calendar.

Lent, nowadays, has a higher meaning. Other than focusing on the cool candy calendars or the food that's being set aside for a period of time, the depth of this historical practice weighs heavier on me than it ever has. I have had the benefit of reading several people in other denominations point me to this higher meaning. Learning Lent has meant learning to die to self.

The road that Lent sends every believer on is one that leads to death. Jesus was sent to earth to accomplish his Father's will which culminated in death. No matter one's doctrinal stance, we're all aware of substitutionary atonement. It's likely that we're not so quick to connect the dots of that very doctrine to the church calendar (although we know the Easter is coming). Following Jesus means dying to self. Learning to imitate Jesus means dying to self. Living for Jesus means dying to self.

A dear friend of mine is taking steps to gain entrance into RTS Dallas, and one of her requirements is to do a book report on Redemption Accomplished and Applied. I assured her that if she could understand John Murray, then she's plenty reformed and well worthy to attend and excel in seminary classes. While having this discussion, I reminded her that the death of our Lord ought to have daily-to-weekly impact on our lives now. We shouldn't have to wait until our calendars celebrate Easter.

Practicing something that affects our psyche, soma (body), and pneuma (spirit), is to practice suffering and hopeful clinging to our Lord Jesus the Messiah. When's the last time you chose to set aside a meal or your preferred foods to set your eyes to the hills from whence our Lord comes? Can you recall how your mind, body, and spirit was affected by that decision? It reminds me of Paul's words to the Galatian church, "to live is Christ and to die is gain."

We know that death is not the end. It wasn't the case for Jesus, and it won't be for us. But we can begin to look at Lent as Jesus' willingness to die so that we might live. It was the greatest victory in the whole world! It's my hope that you'd join me on Wednesday in learning Lent.