Lent for real

A BAD TASTE

When I was a kid, the whole conversation around Lent was, “What are you giving up for Lent?” and the focus seemed to be entirely on me, which just didn’t sit right. Even worse, when you shared your answer, the goal seemed to be to get a response of, “Wow that’s a lot!” or “Ooooo I could never do that!” Which further degenerated a self-focus by leveraging it for comparison. It just seemed all wrong. That’s because - it was. Thankfully, turns out the real purpose is completely opposite - and helpful and life-giving (in the end).

WHAT IT IS

Lent is simply a season of emptying to prepare us for the filling of Easter. It is a wilderness where we follow Christ; our good shepherd has walked the path of death and He lives! In Lent – we experience for ourselves the death &  resurrection of Christ. Because of Good Friday, our cup of judgment is already empty. Because of Easter, our cup of grace overflows. And so it is not primarily about us, but about Christ, and our following Him as his co-heirs and sharing with Him in His sufferings (Rom 8:17), to prepare us for sharing in His glory.

Lent is a season of emptying to prepare us for filling.

Lent is a clearing of the room, so it can be prepared for Presence.

Lent is a quieting of the noise, so we can hear the still voice of God.

Lent is a dying to self, to remember and follow Christ not only in word, but also in deed.

“Maybe what Lent most asks us to give up — is to give up all of ourself to Love Himself. To give up whatever is in the way of giving ourselves fully to Jesus. To be a giver — and give ourselves wholly to Jesus, Love Himself, and then live given, because Love always lives given, reaching out with love to those around us.” - Ann Voskamp

HOW IT DEVELOPED

The Christian calendar has seasons - two holiday seasons of Advent (Christmas) and Lent (Easter) with “ordinary time” in between. Advent is a season of feasting and filling; Lent is a season of fasting and emptying. Both have their place in the Christian life. “Ordinary time” is exactly that - a season of rhythm using the lessons gained during the renewal of dedicated seasons.

Fasting in general is associated with grief over loss, and asking God to meet you in the loss. The Lenten fast honors two 40-day fasts in the Bible: Moses (Mt Sinai) and Jesus (wilderness). Before God gave Moses the "answer" to the sin of the people of God (the Law), Moses spent 40 days fasting (i.e. grieving) the sin that necessitated it. Before His life-giving ministry, Jesus spent 40 days fasting the sin that necessated it. By the second century, Christians observed a season of fasting and discipline to prepare for Easter. Since the Council of Nicea (325 AD), most churches around the world today and throughout history have celebrated a form of Lent. In 339 Athanasius wrote that the Lenten fast was observed by “the entire world.”

WHAT IT’S NOT

Lent is NOT mainly a time to give up something to show our dedication or virtue, or to earn favor with God. It is not a spiritual high; death feels like death. It is not Catholic or Orthodox, but rather belongs to all Christians. It is not Biblically commanded - it is a second century Christian tradition to prepare for Easter and ultimately for Heaven.

WHY WE NEED IT

Life comes fast. And we can slip into routines that become ruts that become a lifestyle that numbs us to God and people. The result is that we are tempted to make joyless duty to God the essence of virtue to justify our dead hearts. The truth is exactly the opposite – freedom from sin because of His death and joy in Him because of His resurrection. And this is the focus of Lent – to guide us on that journey from death to life. As Jesus said, “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever would save his life will lose it; whoever would lose his life for My sake will find it.”

HOW IT WORKS

Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, which is actually 46 days before Easter.  Why 46 and not 40? Because Sundays are a sabbath from Lent - no fasting on Sundays, so they are not counted. This cycle of death to life is repeated six times in the leadup to Easter - reminding us that death truly does lead to life! The final week of Lent is called “Holy Week”: Palm Sunday (the day Jesus entered Jerusalem), Maundy Thursday (the last supper), Good Friday, and Easter Sunday.

This death-to-life rhythm is the gospel. Six days of emptying prepare us to celebrate the filling of Sunday. Six weeks of Lent prepare us for the filling of Easter. A lifetime of Easters prepare us to meet the risen Lamb - for the filling of eternal glory. Lent is a season of discipline to remember Christ - His death and resurrection, which is and will be ours - that we may follow in His steps.

WHAT WE DO

If Lent is a season of emptying & filling, what does that look like on the ground in real life? Because Lent is a church tradition and NOT Biblical command, we are free to practice it however it is healthy and fruitful. Lent is traditionally observed with these three main spiritual disciplines (from Matthew 6:1-18): fasting, prayer and alms giving. Here more is not better - focus is prime. Focus on a few things, to make them sustainable.

Consider the following ideas:

Fasting

• one item daily (except sabbath!), e.g. coffee, spirits, candy, etc.

• one day a week (e.g. dinner to dinner)

• social media, screens, or some other habit

Praying

• at a particular time each day

• for a particular person or need

Alms Giving

• funds (saved from fasting, to a cause)

• stuff

• yourself - offer yourself to serve another with a meal, etc.

FINAL NOTE

The goal is not to white-knuckle it through 40 days of deprivation. The goal is Christ - to identify with His sacrifice, by being intentional, living sacrifices for a season of emptying, to prepare us for filling, to prepare us for meeting Him. As a side note - practicing emptying during Lent has made my advents more rich - I more heartily give myself to feasting and filling during Advent, when I have given myself to fasting and emptying during Lent. They complement each other well in a historic and wise tradition.

Lent is soul formation through gospel rhythm: emptying self to be filled with God. Emptying of noise to hear His voice. Denying ourselves to take up our cross and follow Christ. Dying to live, believing by faith that whoever will lose their life for His sake - will find it.

RESOURCES

RightNow Media: The Lent Experience

Ann Voskamp: Living Loved Lenten Experience

Tim Keller: 40-day Lent Devotional

Biola University: The Lent Project

Christopher Hunt: A Short History of Lent

Nicholas Russo (Notre Dame): The Early History of Lent