Observing Lent

I grew up in a home influenced by Catholic tradition. Those traditions blended seamlessly into the faith my family raised me in. Observing Lent was one of those traditions, largely practiced by Catholics, that has greatly influenced my faith and prepared my heart for Easter on a deeper level over the years.

Lent is the period of 40 days, beginning on Ash Wednesday and continuing till the celebration of Easter Sunday. It is meant to be a season of reflection and preparation. It is intended that by observing these days of Lent, Christians personally replicate Jesus Christ's sacrifice and withdrawal into the desert for 40 days.

There have been two Lenten observations that have particularly pricked my heart through the years.

 The first being when I was in junior high and gave up candy and gum. For my 13-year-old self, I was impacted by this as I prayed each time I wanted sweets or gum. It took me aback how much time I spent praying, compared to what I normally did in daily life. The second being when I chose to give up a bag of my things, every day for all of those forty days. I am a keeper. I keep nostalgia, I keep clothes (if they still fit, even if they are no longer in style), I keep trinkets and I keep movie ticket stubs to remind me of memorable moments in front of the big screen - you get the picture of my keeping. During those days, I sorted and donated, I combed through and discarded, I rid myself of 40 bags of things. I had no idea that cleansing and letting go could be so freeing. This act reminded me of the cleaning and letting go of olds sins. Those sins that I hold onto and shame myself with. If God was not keeping them boxed away, why? Why? Why was I?

For this Lenten season, I gave up chocolate, sugar and carbohydrates. Admittedly, this has proved to be a struggle every day that has passed since February 26th.

However.

This year Lent and letting go and giving up and surrendering my needs has been so much more tangible and heart wrenching than depriving myself of a Milky Way Midnight or a straight from the oven piece of bread slathered with butter. Maybe, these past days have been this way for you.

Instead of depriving myself of something tangible, God has placed on my heart this verse in regard to this specific Lenten observation. “Tear (rend) your heart, and not your garments or clothes.” Joel 2:13

How am I tearing my heart so as to permanently change it?

Here is what I am seeing God asking of me during these Lenten Days…

God is asking me to surrender what is most important to me in my life. My Family. He is calling me to not hold onto them, but instead to pray with my hands open. To bring them before the altar of the Lord. Leave them there. Place them in God’s hands and trust that He has a plan for every day, every moment, of their lives. God is calling me to trust Him with what I love and value most.

God is showing me that I need to “Pray without ceasing.” I Thessalonians 5:17. He is calling me out of my worry. He is drawing me to prayer. He is calling me to give up Netflix and novels, for a time, and to pray instead. He is calling me to pray and praise as I walk outside instead of ruminating and stewing on the day's events. He is calling me to observe II Corinthians 10:5b which clearly admonishes me to “Take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ.” This convicts me, most especially at this time causing me to pause, “Am I really showing love, not just in my actions but in the thoughts I allow to perch in my mind?

God is calling me to a different level of observing Lent, is He calling you?

My prayer for myself today, and my prayer for you if you will come beside me in this Lenten observation, is that after the celebration of Easter Sunday has come and gone that I will maintain where God has brought my heart during these 40 days. That my heart will be torn and changed.

Pray In This Manner

Any relationship has to involve good communication, right? Communication has become easier thanks to technology, yet it comes with the caveat that conversation is often interrupted by screens. Our smartphones allow us access to others quickly and efficiently. But how deep are we going in all of our relationships, especially those online? How is our lifestyle of sound byte social media style information sharing affecting our real-life, in-person interactions? Communication has become easier, but it does not necessarily follow that it has improved. 

Jesus taught and exemplified constant, deep, concentrated communication with his Father. He took action to heal and help, balanced with carving out time to talk to God. “He frequently withdrew to the wilderness to pray.” (Luke 5:16) The New Testament describes multiple instances when Jesus got up early, traveled far, and prioritized conversations with God. He led by example and also provided explicit instruction on how to pray in the Lord’s Prayer. 

When we pray the Lord’s Prayer only as a rote, memorized anthem, we miss out on how deeply we can converse with our Heavenly Father. Kay Arthur outlines in depth the guidelines Jesus provided in her study, Teach Me to Pray. Her summary of the topics given to pray through in the Lord’s Prayer are as follows:

Worship: “Our Father, who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 

Allegiance: “Your kingdom come.”

Submission: “Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

Petition & Provision: “Give us this day our daily bread”

Confession & Forgiveness: “and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”

Watchfulness & Deliverance: “And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”

Worship: “For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.”

-Are you carving out consistent time to talk to your Father who loves you?

-When you pray, are you worshipping and praising the One who created and sustains all life? 

-Are you living out and praying out strong allegiance to the kingdom of Heaven, laying down your idols?

-Are you submitting to His will, even if it means your prayers aren’t answered the way you want? 

-Are you trusting that God will provide for you, your loved ones, your church, His people around the world? 

-Are you bringing your wrongdoing into the light and believing that He loves you enough to forgive it all?

 -Are you asking for salvation from the temptations of this world?

“The Lord is near. Therefore, do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” - Philippians 4:6-7

The Dr. Seuss Logic of Prayer

Do it here. Do it there. Do it everywhere. 

In a boat, with a goat, on dry land surrounded by sand. In the sun and when it snows, when the leaves fall and when the Spring bud grows.

In a church, in a car when you have to drive far. In the shower, feel the Spirit’s power. Do it silently, or do it out loud, when you are alone or in a crowd.

Do it here. Do it there. Do it everywhere.

The Doctor Seuss logic of prayer is quite simple, our dialogue with God begins with being in prayer every day, all the time, anywhere. As we are commanded in I Thessalonians 5:17-18 we are to “Pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

Simple. Right?

Then why do we struggle so much with having prayer be our first resort and not our last? Why do we not want constant communication with the Lord?

Well, let me speak for myself and maybe some of my struggles will ring true with you.

When a crisis arises, I am often so caught up in the details, and headed right into panic mode that I don’t “stop, drop, and pray.” I am wanting to remedy the situation using my own skill set, instead of relying on God’s. I go into containment mode. Contain the problem. Contain my emotions. Contain my outward appearance so that I “seem” to be in control for those who may be witnessing the discomfort of my life play out. Just contain.

Why do I think I can do all of this myself?

Because Satan is constantly whispering little lies into my soul. He is telling me, “You got this girlfriend.” And, that is an utter lie, which goes against all God says and commands. Which leads to the understanding of why we, as women of God, are to be praying without ceasing. It is only then that I can hear God’s voice over that of Satan.

Were I not to have been in constant contact with God, I would not have been able to discern or even know His voice. Prayer gives you wisdom. Prayer gives you power. Prayer gives you peace. Prayer gives you the ultimate control over any situation which you may face.

Imagine for a moment - this is something I do very regularly - that you are a hot mess. Your hair is in knots and greasy having been left uncombed for days and your clothes are a mess, there are even smudges of mascara under your eyes. Knowing ALL this, and being in this state, you can BOLDLY approach the throne of God with your prayers. In fact, God commands you to. You can run right up to Him as He is seated on the dais as king ruling over the universe.“Therefore let us [with privilege] approach the throne of grace [that is, the throne of God’s gracious favor] with confidence and without fear, so that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find [His amazing] grace to help in time of need [an appropriate blessing, coming just at the right moment]”, as Hebrews 4:16 tells us.

Just for a moment let that image fill you. You are a daughter of the King, and He so wants you to come to Him prayerfully, in all circumstances. Just. As. You. Are.

I know you may not feel worthy of this privilege or the right to approach God. Because of circumstances, because of personal failures, because of lacking the right words. But, let me just tell you because I have been where you are - at times in even worse circumstances than some of you - despite it ALL you are so incredibly blessed. Wow! If you could only see the blessings. You have direct access to the God of the universe. All the time. Any hour. Any Day. Any moment.

So come as you are. From near or far. Pray when you’re busy, pray when you’re slow, pray when and wherever you go.