Lent

I genuinely love people who ask, “Why?” My friend Ginny was asking “why” about some of the things we normally do during Lent.

Lent comes around each year as the 40-ish days before Easter (40 days + Sundays). It’s a season of preparation. How do you get ready to remember that Jesus died and rose again? Traditionally, that’s been through reflection, fasting, and repentance – some of the more “sobering” practices of the faith.

(So isn’t it just so delightfully human of us to anticipate 40+ days of sobering reflection and say, “You know what we need? We need a day of complete inhibition and fattening before fasting and repentance begin! Hence, Fat Tuesday and the celebration of Martis Gras. But I digress…)

My friend very thoughtfully reflected back – well, if fasting is good, why only for Lent? If practices of simplicity are good, why only for 40 days? Are we kicking bad habits and sin just to pick them up again after Easter?

Well…. Maybe?

No, not really. (Let’s hope.)

Consider it a spiritual boot camp – an intense season of training for your soul that after you’ve done something in a hyper-focused way works its way into your normal routine. Maybe you’ve tried training for a marathon or a Whole30 30-day plan– something that daily kicks you into gear for a short season. Not dissimilarly, consider Lent an opportunity to work more of the life and wholeness and holiness of Jesus into your life by spending more time with God on purpose (he’ll never leave you nor forsake you anyway).

You’re invited! Wednesday, February 14th, begins our annual 40 day “bootcamp” so that we can become more aware of God with us and more in tune with what God is doing in the world!

Simply, we’re going to pray the Lord’s Prayer every day at 10:10 (for John 10:10). We are going to use more modern language for the sake of our kids and those who did not grow up with “thy’s” and “thine’s.” We’ll hand out a 4x6 card on Sunday if you’re there or pop by 703 and we’ll give you one.

We’ll kick off Lent together Thursday, February 15th at noon during our regular half hour of prayer. You can join us in person at 703 Kitsap Street or online [here].

And my prayer is that come Easter and the celebration of the Risen Jesus, we all collectively have a greater sense of trust and joy in the one who is always with us. I hope we have written testimonies and imaginations for what He is doing among us. He is risen! He is risen, indeed.