While not all Christian traditions do much to celebrate the season of Lent, our church does. I very much look forward to Lent each year with the same anticipation as I do for Advent. With so much happening already in 2020, I’m looking forward to some time to refocus this Lent.
What is Lent?
Lent is the 40 days prior to Jesus’ death on the cross, it begins on Ash Wednesday and end the Thursday before Good Friday. It is reflective of Jesus’ 40 days in the wilderness that is why many choose to give up something for lent. Lent is a time of prepartion for believers leading up to Easter for prayer and repentence.
Our church has stations with readings, scripture, meditation, and reflection at the end of the stations someone is there to give the sign of the cross in ashes. I appreciate that our pastor invites us to participate in an active way on Ash Wednesday. Our stations services are not quiet, they are messy often involving dirt and paint, our stations also involve destorying walls of hostility with bricks, burning flash paper with decietful words, and meditation. This time of worship at your own speed is far from quiet, sedative, or impersonal.
This year, I’m going to use Lent as a reflective time to do a devotional daily and to eat foods that the poorest people in the world eat; oatmeal for breakfast & rice and beans for dinner. I plan to have oatmeal each morning and do have rice & beans 2x a week. I’d also love to wear a dress for the entirety of Lent as well, although I’m not as committed to that idea.
My husband and I traveled to Israel in 2011 with his Seminary class, it was a once in a lifetime opportunity for us and each year during Lent I recall that trip. The places we visited, the roads we walked, the architecture, the people, the feelings. Lent is the season we wait for Jesus to fulfill His promise. It never fails that during Lent, I am waiting in anticipation for Jesus to move in my life.
I’d love to hear how you are celebrating this season, and if you’d like to join me in the devotional download the app, here for iphone and here for android. It features a reading, old testament and new testament scripture, prayer, songs, and reflection. I plan to do the morning and evening, consistantly.
Stylishly Shelby 