“I die every day! That is as certain, brothers and
sisters, as my boasting of you—a boast that I make in Christ Jesus our Lord.” ~
1 Corinthians 15.31
We're at the start of the season of Lent. It’s a time of prayer, fasting
and self-examination to prepare ourselves for the celebration of Jesus’
resurrection at Easter.
Lent is 40 days, just like other
significant time periods in the Bible; the flood of Genesis, Moses’ time at
Mount Sinai, Elijah’s journey to Mount Horeb, Jonah’s call to Ninevah to
repent, and Jesus’ time in the wilderness. The number 40 refers to a time of
testing that leads to new life and new growth. (The Sundays in Lent are not
counted).
What we remind ourselves of,
and listen for, during Lent is the power and possibility of the work God sent
Jesus to do, and that the way of the cross to Easter is through death. As the
Bible writer Paul references in the above Scripture quote the reality of Jesus’
resurrection then sets the stage for our own new life - to live for Christ, we
must die with Him. New life requires a daily surrendering of the old life,
letting go of the present order, so that we may embrace the new humanity.
The power of Easter and Jesus’
resurrection on the horizon ahead draws us into repentance and lifelong changes
in our values and behavior become possible.
There are a lot of ways people
observe Lent that are spiritually nourishing, and what works for one might miss
the mark for another. We want to be cautious that we don’t get sucked into a
to-do list just for the sake of having something to do over Lent. Theologian
Karl Barth warns us against this by reminding us our lives are set apart not
because of what we do, but because of what Godin-Christ does through us.
May we all use 40 days of Lent
do some holy dreaming about Christ’s call for our lives.
Together We Serve and Dream,
Pastor Mike
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