The Season of Lent

One common Lenten practice is “giving up” something. Perhaps you’ve heard people talk about “giving up” sugar, coffee, or social media, or something like that. The reasons and goals for giving up something for Lent can be multi-layered, but ultimately it is to help foster a growing awareness that our every desire, in one way or another, is a desire for God. Therefore, we give something up, not just to suffer with Christ or to be more disciplined but so that, as we experience desire for the thing given up, we actively turn to prayer and point our desires towards Him.

And this is where the “taking something on” comes in, because perhaps in the absence of the one, we bring in a new, holy habit to help us intentionally turn more fully to Jesus.

So when we experience the impulse to grab our phones in a moment of boredom, or when we are craving that chocolate bar, we stop and take the desire as a reminder to seek Him and his kingdom first. Perhaps we turn, instead, to reading scripture, or simply praying something like,

“Lord, I want this thing, but I want you more. Draw near to me in this moment and be the living bread that satisfies every hunger and the living water that satisfies every thirst.  This craving I am experiencing right now is for a passing thing, a perishable thing; give me your imperishable goodness.”  

These kinds of sacrifices and this kind of journey can be transformative.  

Two quick notes:

1. Please don’t give up anything that can be harmful for your health or well-being. The point is not the amount of “suffering” (or as a spiritual way to get your body bathing-suit ready). The point is the Christ-centering of our loves and desires.

2. Traditionally, Sunday’s are known as “feast days”, meaning that on Sundays - the day we gather to worship together - whatever you have given up you are allowed to partake of again as a foretaste and celebration of the life and freedom that is to come in Him. This is an experience of Good News!

Beginning a Bible Reading Plan can be a great thing to do during the season of Lent - especially if you are looking to take on a new holy habit.  

Currently, on our Redwood App we are reading through a Bible-in-a-Year plan.  Even though we started this on January 1st, feel no pressure to catch up; you can feel free to just jump in beginning with the March 5th reading and carry on from there.

Alternatively, the YouVersion Bible app is full of different reading plans that you can begin at anytime. We recommend the “Lent for Everyone” reading plan by NT Wright that is available for free in the app.

One last encouragment. Reading the Bible by yourself is great. Reading the Bible with one or two other people is even better! Consider doing a reading plan with your family, or finding a friend or two to join in with you and talk about what you are reading together.

The Stations of the Cross began as a remembrance that pilgrims had when they were retracing Jesus' finals steps in Jerusalem up to the hill where He was crucified. Wanting to share that practice and experience with people who couldn't make the trip to Jerusalem, they created local stations of meditation that became in itself a tradition. You can find this tradition on the inside of many churches still today.

This journey to the cross is not only a meditation of Jesus accomplishing what He came to do - the redemption of humanity through His own willful sacrifice - but it's also a contemplation of Jesus silently participating in some of the worst aspects of being human. We see Him being tempted to give up. Being betrayed by a friend. Being convicted in an unjust political system. Physical pain. Mockery. Public humiliation. Broken family relationships. And one of our greatest fears is having to die. These are all aspects of human life that He was not insulated from. In fact on the cross He quotes King David saying "My God My God, Why have you forsaken me?" as if to say "Why is it like this?" He was one who was not separate from our own suffering.

Many of us feel the weight of anxiety and fear as we journey through the current world. We are told many narratives of how it is and what is to come. During this season of Lent, we as a community look to the life and teachings of Jesus. We think that One who was in the midst of such political and empirical turmoil, who spoke the words of "Be not afraid" and "Come to me all you are weary and carrying a heavy load, for I will give you rest" is someone who can illuminate our desperate viewpoint.