We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work.
John 9:4 NLT
In yesterday’s post, we spoke of the fact that death reminds us that we must live. Today, we will talk about living.
As the Christian world proceeds into the second day of Lent, we are reminded to carry with us the death of Christ on the cross. Typical Lent practice stipulates that Monday through Saturday, we fast. We fast not for anything that we may be praying for, instead we fast as a way to remember Christ’s suffering. Then, on Sunday, we celebrate a feast day, a day when the fast is broken, because on Sunday we celebrate the resurrection. This pattern continues for the 40 days leading up to Easter, the ultimate resurrection celebration.
It would be easy to, in the midst of all this thinking about death and self-deprivation, forget to focus on living. After all, the purpose behind Lent is to help the believer to identify with Christ’s suffering, so if you are not suffering adequately, then you are missing out on Lent.
Or are you?
This year, I wasn’t going to do anything for Lent, but then yesterday morning, I received a text from a very good friend of mine that simply said, “Lent?” See, my friend and I-along with another friend or two-have always journeyed through Lent together. His simple text made me stop and think about what, if anything, I should do for Lent. Then, in the very subtle way that He does, I sensed God’s leading to do something different than usual. Rather than giving something up, this year I would DO something.
What am I doing?
I’m writing.
More specifically, I am writing this blog, daily, for Lent. The reason I am is simple: writing, probably more than anything, helps me to understand what God is trying to say to me at any given moment.
So this year, I not only want to remember the death of my Savior, but I want to be reminded of how I ought live because of His death. Whether or not you practice Lent, I invite you to join me as I make a conscious effort to identify the daily death to self that we are called to as Christians; as we also experience the daily resurrection that we are graciously given.
May this Lent be a time when you are not only reminded that the night is coming, but also that it is time to work, because there is still daylight.
Grace.
Peace.
-m
