Why Lent?

For the past week I've been stuck. I've been trying to figure out what to do for Lent.  I didn't grow up celebrating Lent, but I started to investigate and partake in the practice in college and it has stuck with me. Lent is a time of reflection and preparation.

I love the idea behind Lent, the idea that I sacrifice something to remind me of the sacrifice Christ made for me. I like the intentionality of Lent. For me, Lent is a special 40 days where I really focus on my walk with the Lord.  Yes, each day of the year I should be intentional about my relationship with Christ, about my witness and my Christian life.

This year I am giving up watching HGTV (my favorite channel) and I'm only going to log on FaceBook once a day.  Am I a couch potato? No. But in lieu of having HGTV on in the background I can have on worship music.  Facebook isn't an addiction, but it is fun for me.  I like to try to come up with pithy status updates, and I love to keep up with friends, see pictures, etc. So FB is a sacrifice for me.

Lent isn't about being holier than thou, saying look at me, look what I gave up! Lent is about saying "Lord, even as I try daily to live in Your word, to walk in Your will, I want to take these 40 days to give my life a check up, to be extra intentional and to remind myself of all that you did, so that when Easter comes I am prepared spiritually to really celebrate the gift of salvation that comes via Your sacrificial work."

-JLP-

Praying that whether or not you celebrate Lent, that you will remember all that Christ did and does for us, that these next 40 days leading up to Easter will be a time of special growth for you in your relationship with our dear, holy, awesome, righteous Father.