A month ago I attended a conference in North Carolina for the AMIA. During one of the breakout sessions, I heard a man named David Taylor say this, "If the church doesn't tell people what time it is, the world will." He then went on to explain how the calendar is shaping (often subtly and subconsciously) how we think about certain themes. For example, Valentine's Day is shaping the way we think of and define love. The 4th of July is shaping our idea of country. Mother's Day is forming the way we view family. He listed eleven holidays and explained how each was influencing our culture. Taylor's solution, or counter-attack, to the problem was the idea of using the church calendar to help us better understand biblical themes in our lives.
Incorporating the church calendar into my life is a new idea for me. Last year was the first time I observed Lent. This past Advent was the first time I understood Advent and Lent had anything in common. Like so many things I didn't understand, I assumed it was superstitious and had little, if any benefit for me. I was wrong. Sadly wrong. It's amazing how quickly you can go from wanting to discredit something to looking forward to celebrating it.
Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. We will have ashes put on our foreheads as we are reminded of our finitude, our brokenness, and our desperation. Doing this will kick off forty days of sacrifice and commitment. I learned last year that fasting isn't the only way to observe Lent. It's also recommended to take something on.
Last year I fasted from red meat and read four Psalms a day. This year, I want to give up something that I actually think about everyday (beef is more of an every other day kind of thing). Each time I think about the thing I am giving up (still haven't decided what that is) I will remember my need for Christ and his sacrificial love for me. Each time I do whatever I decide to pick up (I think I'm going to try to memorize Colossians (1 chapter every 10 days), I'll remember Christ's commitment to his people. It is a powerful, and really rather simple way, for God to work his grace into my life daily.
Here's the best thing about Lent. It ends. Yes, it's a time of darkness and sacrifice. Yes, it's a time to remember we came from and will return to dust. Yes, it's a time to repent and fast. But, it is also a time of anticipation. It's a time to remember life will not always be as it is now. Lent ends with Easter, the day we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus.The broken things will mend. The dark things will disappear in the light. Death will end in resurrection life. It is a reminder that our suffering is only temporal and is actually making eternity more glorious.
If Lent is a foreign concept to you, I encourage you to look into it. God has used it to powerfully reshape my appreciation for his sacrifice and power. I'm looking forward the next forty days with hopeful expectation. I hope you'll join me.
