Our new Lent Tradition…
Mar 10th, 2010 by ljkim
The word “lent” comes from the Old English word for spring time…but in the European tradition it’s shorthand for the 40 days leading up to Easter. What people often did for Lent is “fast” or give up something they love. Now I know there was probably a good idea there somewhere…but “giving up something you like” is not such a meaningful tradition for me right now. I think it makes people equate Jesus with mourning and losing things…and dying. And not the liberating “die to self” sort of way, but in a funeral procession sort of way. No wonder so many traditional church services sometimes feel like funerals. “Dearly beloved we are here to mourn the death of Jesus.” But the Jesus of history would not have been remembered had he only died… What was memorable about Jesus’ claim to Messiah-ship was that after he was killed, he then got up and preached some of his most mind blowing sermons. People started to get it…and they weren’t afraid any more.
So I’d like to propose a NEW tradition for Lent… Instead of giving something up – how about we give God something He wants… Of course, being God He doesn’t actually need a whole lot…but in the Bible, it tells us that there is one thing that He really wants but does not yet have… You.
So here’s the tradition: give God a piece of you for Lent. Publicly commit (or RE-commit) to something He wants. On Sundays we’re talking about the kinds of commitments God is after (the 3 c’s) – but you can make any kind of commitment you like…
Now in the Old Testament days people would gather a bunch of rocks and burn something to commemorate a commitment. All I’m asking you to do is to comment here. Say:
- “I’m committing or recommitting to follow and learn from Jesus.”
- Or, “I’m committing to read through part of the Bible and understand it.”
- Or, “I’m committing to forgive like Jesus, asking Him to teach me how and help me do it.”
- Or, “I’m committing to find a church home – to find a diverse group of people of different ages and backgrounds to follow Jesus with…”
- Or, “I’m committing to letting people ‘in’ so that they can share in what’s really going on between me and God – and maybe even shine some light on things.
It can be anything really…but please do it.
And don’t just think it. Make it public in some small (but real) way. If you don’t want to comment here – announce it to your family at home, or your roommate, or your best friends… By making it public – it keeps you from just thinking nice thought and then forgetting it tomorrow…
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Hey Leo, nice post… I’m committing to finding my ministry so that I can lead a more rewarding and rich life.
I commit more to loving and understanding people at church and my friends whether non christian and christian.
i’m committing to claiming His very real presence and involvement in my life daily-especially when i feel lost.