A 40 Day Journey
Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. For forty days and forty nights he fasted and became very hungry. Matthew 4:1-2
Our Lenten journey is underway. Each year we take this 40-day journey of reflection, repentance, fasting, prayer, and acts of charity. We are to be intentional to set aside time to reflect on Christ’s ministry, sacrifice, and resurrection.
Lent is a time to open ourselves to confess our regret for our sins and move to repentance. We face that which we know prevents us from conforming to God’s will. Psalm 139, verses 23 and 24 can help set our minds toward this self-examination: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you and lead me along the path of everlasting life.”
Dealing with our own sin is sometimes dismissed or at least downplayed as “minor flaws” when we fall into judgement of the sins of others. We all do this. I think it’s a defense mechanism to boost our own self-esteem by shining a light on the wickedness of others. Maybe we should do more to acknowledge that our sin is just as bad as the next guy’s. Think about this, when we justify to ourselves as being not as bad as the other guy, we are cutting ourselves off from God’s forgiveness and healing. It’s not that our eternal salvation is at risk, but we don’t allow ourselves to experience God’s restoring work in our lives and subsequently we lose the opportunity to share the love of God with others.
The Lenten activities of fasting and prayer offer a time for us to renew our relationship with God. Fasting or abstaining from something we enjoy, like some favorite food or other “excess of life” can allow us to be more attuned to the Lord’s voice. It is a way to exercise or flexing our spiritual muscles if you will, making us better able to face temptations that confront us every day. And finally, in some small measure this form of fasting is a way to participate in the suffering of Christ and it makes prayer and confession so much more powerful.
Another important element of the Lenten season is becoming aware of not only Christ’s suffering but also the suffering of others. In a sense we are dying to self and focusing on opportunities to meet others in need. The sufferings of Christ were always for someone else. Knowing this is what brings about our compassion and creates a space for God to transform us with His love.
Lord, I thank You for the gift of Lent. Draw me into a deeper communion with You during this 40-day journey. May these weeks leading up to that terrible day of Good Friday and the glory that is Easter Sunday remind me of who You are. May I be transformed into the follower You created me to be. AMEN.