Andy loves our small group!! I mean LOVES it:) I like our small group too. I am not quite to the love stage yet but I really enjoy going and could see great friendships growing out of this group. This past Sunday we discussed Lent. Being that I am not Catholic, I've never given Lent much thought. I do have a large, extended Catholic family so I am somewhat familiar with Fish Fridays and giving up something that you love for 40 days. But I've never questioned the why's and how's. I was always just thankful that I didn't have to do it:)
Our small group actually DID observe Lent last year. Our small group leader sent out an article explaining why they chose to observe it. I was prepared to scan it quickly, and then basically forget about it. But a couple of things caught my attention. Here is an excerpt of the e-mail: (please note that the e-mail is in no way associated with our church...I have no idea who Rich Nathan is:) and yes...of course I will look him up)
"From Rich Nathan's Congregational email on Feb 25th 2011:
Since at least the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD the church has set aside the 40-day period before Easter as a time of spiritual preparation for the events of Holy Week (especially Good Friday and Easter Sunday). This 40-day period involves some kind of abstaining - whether from food or entertainment such as TV watching or using Facebook or shopping. But we evangelicals don't do holidays (except Christmas and Easter)! We barely do Sabbath except to attend church. The rest of Sunday is typically set aside for catching up on chores, shopping, and kids' sports activities.
We are fond of quoting the Apostle Paul's caution to the Galatians against observing days, and months, and times, and years so that we not return in bondage to "the weak and beggarly elements" (Galatians 4.9-10). Why not forget about Lent altogether and "stand fast in the liberty with which Christ has made us free" (Galatians 5.1)? Why not individually try as best as we can to follow Christ and to simply live our Christian lives on our own terms?
In short, why do Lent?
First, let me say that the practice of Lent, just as the practice of Christmas or Easter, is by no means obligatory for any Christian. There are certain scripture passages which indicate that a Christian's observance of certain sacred periods may be appropriate (Ecclesiastes 3.1; Acts 20.16; Revelation 1.10, etc.). But the Apostle Paul is abundantly clear that the practice or non-practice of holidays is a matter of individual conscience (Romans 14.5-6). Regarding the practice of Lent, no one should judge another Christian's spirituality based upon one's celebration or non-celebration.
Why, then, do Lent?
Lent is a time for spiritual spring-cleaning - The word "Lent" is derived from an old Anglo-Saxon word meaning "to lengthen" and refers to the spring season when the days become longer. Former megachurch pastor, Ted Haggard, was on Oprah a couple of years ago and he discussed the sexual urges that finally destroyed his ministry. "I kept thinking my problem was demonic," he told Oprah. "[But] part of this process forced me to say, 'This is not demonic. This is me.' And when I said, 'this is me,' oh! everything started to change...that's when I started to heal."
All of us need a time for taking spiritual inventory and engaging in more intense spiritual self-examination. What are our particular weak places? Where are we being tempted? Where are we giving ground and disqualifying ourselves from useful service to Christ?
Most people have found that if they are going to stay up on home-maintenance, spring cleaning once a year is helpful. Lent is a time of spiritual spring cleaning in which an individual can clean out those things which hinder our relationship with Christ and our service to him.
Lent meets our need for spiritual training - The Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:25 and 27: Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever...No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. God has not made human beings to be pure spirits. Rather, we human beings are embodied in a material world. The way we treat our bodies affects our souls and spirits. Spiritual disciplines such as fasting or abstaining from consuming entertainment or abstaining from shopping is analogous to engaging in weight lifting. A person who lifts weights will be stronger not just when he or she is lifting weights, but also in every other situation in life.
One very astute observer of Christians commented, "Deep down we may not even want to change. I like to say, everyone wants to be transformed, but nobody wants to change." Engaging in spiritual disciplines trains us body and soul to serve Christ better. Lent is a time in which we can through the practice of some activity of self-denial better understand our dependence upon God for all of life.
Lent is an opportunity to do good - Whenever a Christian voluntarily chooses to abstain from something, it is for the purpose of being available for something better. So, we might abstain from eating a meal in order that we could take that time to pray. We might abstain from shopping in order to take the time for fellowship. Lent is a particularly apt time to engage in charitable activity. Our own hunger from a day of fasting can serve to make us more sensitive to people who are hungry.
Therefore, Lent could be a great time for families to choose to volunteer to work at our food pantry. Or it might be a great time to choose to volunteer to teach English as a second language in our Community Center, or to volunteer to help build a house with Habitat for Humanity. As the prophet Isaiah said more than 2700 years ago in Isaiah 58:6-7, Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter- when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
Lent is an opportunity to prepare for Holy Week - Imagine our church exploding with joy on Easter, because thousands of us came spiritually prepared to celebrate Easter following the 40-day practice of Lent. Imagine if you personally got involved in spiritual spring cleaning, if you engaged in a little bit of heavy lifting and spiritual weight-training for six weeks preceding Easter. Imagine if you looked forward to Easter with greater anticipation than you ever have in the past. What will Easter morning be like for you? Imagine if you were not alone in this, but thousands of others in our congregation engaged in similar practices. If this occurred, Easter 2011 could be the greatest day of spiritual celebration in our church's history.
So, the thought of Spiritual Spring Cleaning caught my attention. I mean who couldn't use some of that? I know that some extra discipline would definitely do me good. After much consideration, I have decided that I am going to give up my mommy message board for the next 40 days!! It's gonna be hard. I LOVE that board. Some days it's my only social interaction with people outside of my husband and children. But I also know that I spend too much time on that board. Time that I could be doing something much more useful. Andy has asked me to start scrapbooking again--he thinks it's good for my mental and my spiritual health. And he's right, it is!! Plus I have about 3 studies that I have been meaning to start--for at least the last year!! It's just so easy to get lost in my computer and not even realize that hours have passed. For me, my mommy message board is a complete time suck!!
I am going to take control of my time for the next 40 days. Whenever I get the urge to open up my mommy board, I am going to re-direct myself to something useful instead. Prayer, study, blogging, scrapping or exercise. All of these activities help to focus my attention on my Saviour:) Much more useful than reading other mommie's arguing over breast vs bottlefeeding or sahm vs. wohm!!
Is it going to be hard for me to break this addiction?!?! Yes!!! It is going to be very hard. I have been a member of that board for the last 7 years. But God gave up so much for me...certainly I can overcome this one tiny thing for Him.
Andy has chosen to participate, but in a different way. And that is okay!! We have just decided to take this time to purposefully do MORE for Jesus than we normally do. Tonight at dinner we are going to ask the kids if it's something they would like to do. If they choose not to? It is no big deal:)
I just want to point out this is in no way something that our church is promoting. It is just within our small group. We were in no way pressured to observe Lent. We do not believe that Lent in any way hinders or promotes salvation. It's just something that I am choosing to do to grow closer to Jesus:)
