It’s that time again. Ash Wednesday begins the season of Lent on the Christian calendar. Lent is an extended period of time during which Christians reflect on the life and death of Jesus, both for what the former teaches us about the way to live and what the latter does about our failure to walk in his way.
Lent encourages us to think about the deeds we have done and, even more, about the patterns of behavior we have developed--the things we do without thinking much about it. It asks us to close the door on the thought patterns of the world we absorb and participate in every day in order to bring those thoughts and patterns before the example of Jesus for evaluation. By doing so, Christians can then celebrate the resurrection on Easter Sunday with a new sense of being joined to the Risen Christ and setting out to live a new, refreshed way of life. Over the course of the ensuing months, life in the world wears away at that newness and we need to repeat the process, though by grace it will be a little stronger each time the cycle repeats.
We tend to weaken, or strengthen at a slower pace, because the world can be toxic. Its values and expectations often run contrary to those of Jesus. They damage relationships and people; they skew the manner in which we view other people. In the current environment, the tendency to value people only on the basis of ideas they hold, the places from which they come, and the practices in which they find meaning is readily observed. Is this right, or is it among the thoughts we must place before the witness of the gospel for correction? Are we willing to ask the question and then repent of our participation in ungodly patterns?
That is the thought that will guide much of the reflection in the devotional guide to follow. How can Jesus lead us away from getting caught up in the anger that seems to dominate so many of the discussions we hear? Can we be better representatives of Jesus, even when our political identity, and maybe even our own worth, is being threatened or condemned by the shouts of opponents?
Let us revisit the greatest story ever told once again, not with a mind to use it as a weapon against the world, but with the sole intent of examining ourselves, repenting where we are called to, and setting forth on a renewed, more faithful following of Jesus. The daily Bible passages might be a little (or a lot) longer than many of us are accustomed to reading on a daily basis. Take that as a challenge for the season of Lent. It will take more time, meaning we might need to give up something else in order to complete it. If you cannot read all of the passages, read some, but especially read the gospel text. Let’s try to walk a little closer to Jesus.
Lent encourages us to think about the deeds we have done and, even more, about the patterns of behavior we have developed--the things we do without thinking much about it. It asks us to close the door on the thought patterns of the world we absorb and participate in every day in order to bring those thoughts and patterns before the example of Jesus for evaluation. By doing so, Christians can then celebrate the resurrection on Easter Sunday with a new sense of being joined to the Risen Christ and setting out to live a new, refreshed way of life. Over the course of the ensuing months, life in the world wears away at that newness and we need to repeat the process, though by grace it will be a little stronger each time the cycle repeats.
We tend to weaken, or strengthen at a slower pace, because the world can be toxic. Its values and expectations often run contrary to those of Jesus. They damage relationships and people; they skew the manner in which we view other people. In the current environment, the tendency to value people only on the basis of ideas they hold, the places from which they come, and the practices in which they find meaning is readily observed. Is this right, or is it among the thoughts we must place before the witness of the gospel for correction? Are we willing to ask the question and then repent of our participation in ungodly patterns?
That is the thought that will guide much of the reflection in the devotional guide to follow. How can Jesus lead us away from getting caught up in the anger that seems to dominate so many of the discussions we hear? Can we be better representatives of Jesus, even when our political identity, and maybe even our own worth, is being threatened or condemned by the shouts of opponents?
Let us revisit the greatest story ever told once again, not with a mind to use it as a weapon against the world, but with the sole intent of examining ourselves, repenting where we are called to, and setting forth on a renewed, more faithful following of Jesus. The daily Bible passages might be a little (or a lot) longer than many of us are accustomed to reading on a daily basis. Take that as a challenge for the season of Lent. It will take more time, meaning we might need to give up something else in order to complete it. If you cannot read all of the passages, read some, but especially read the gospel text. Let’s try to walk a little closer to Jesus.