It’s Ash Wednesday, the first day of the Lenten season for those denominations (and individuals) who wish to observe it. Lent is traditionally observed for the 40 days before Easter (excluding Sundays), and there a number of spiritual practices associated with it.
Many people chose to give something up for Lent – be that sweets, chocolate, coffee, Facebook, etc. – an activity that matters to them, that they feel they spend too much time on, or a food they know isn’t good for them or they feel consume too much. Others give up something that costs them financially (like going to the movies, or a coffee shop), and donate the money to a charity or their church. Some add a spiritual practice, or recommit to an old one, like fasting, meditation, or prayer. And others do all of the above.
But why?
I can’t tell you why everyone does what they do for Lent, but I can tell you what I’m doing this year for Lent, and why:
1) I’m giving up coffee.
I typically give up coffee for Lent. (I also drink decaf most of the time, so it’s not the headache-inducing nightmare that it could be.) The reason I give it up is because coffee is my comfort beverage. I make a pot every morning and drink it throughout the day – even though I know that water is better for me. Giving up coffee for Lent reminds me daily, for 40 days, that Jesus gave up so much more for me. And every time I find myself wanting a cup (and going to make tea or pour a glass of water instead), I am reminded that comfort doesn’t really come from a cup of coffee – it comes from the One who created coffee beans and inspired someone to brew the first pot. There will be coffee (in better moderation) on the other side of this experience, but in the meantime, the discipline of denying myself something I want is really good for my character.
2) I’m spending more time in God’s Word.
We all know how challenging it can be to find time in our days for everything that matters to us, and I know I’m not alone in letting my “quiet time” get gypped more often than I should. And yet His Word is life to our souls and water to our thirsty hearts. Lent is a great time to hit the reset button on devotionals, and this year, I found a great resource. Preston Yancey issued an invitation last week to anyone who wanted to read thru the lectionary for Lent together, and has also shared some great tips on how to engage with the readings. Every morning, I get an email with all the readings for the day right in my inbox. And it’s not just a bunch of links, either – the Scriptures are there in their entirety, in a really lovely and readable font. I’m going to enjoy this journey. I’ve already seen things in the Scriptures I’d never seen before. Want to join me? You can sign up here.
3) I’m having soup for lunch on Wednesdays.
I know, that one seems a little weird. But one of my first real experiences of Lenten praxis was a series of Lenten suppers held by my church when I was in high school, shortly after I became a Christian. We would gather together on Wednesday evenings, have some sort of soup for dinner, and then we’d just talk. One year we read a book about the seven last words of Christ. Another year we watched a series of videos and discussed them. Simple fare and simple folk gathering to talk about eternal truths.
It took me awhile to overcome my shyness and contribute to the discussions – but I did. And it’s the first time I remember being taken seriously by adults I’d known my whole life. I stopped being just a teenager and became a disciple during those suppers.
I’m not home for dinner most Wednesdays these days, but I can make soup for lunch. So I’m going to, as a way of honoring the people who taught me the basics of my faith, the journey I’ve been on for 23 years, and the One who called me to it.
photo courtesy of ©Depositphotos.com / vitomirov
Lent is a really long season. Forty days can feel like an eternity. There’s a barrenness to it at times, and a loneliness – and most of the time, it doesn’t feel all that super-holy.
But there’s something about the discipline of it – the daily reminder of the way that Jesus knew what was coming and still walked towards it for us – and the promise of Easter on the other side…
It’s a spiritual journey like no other, and it’s different every year. I’d love your company along the way.
So how about it? How will you observe Lent this year? I’d love to hear all about it the comments.
