My wife and I were talking yesterday about Lent after part one of my toast to death.  She asked a common question:

So, what are you giving up for Lent?

I’ve been asked that question for as long as I’ve known about Lent.  But, I don’t think that I’ve thought about it in such a way as I have this particular season.  As I said yesterday, things just don’t need to be given up.

Things in us need to die.

I long thought of Lent in the past as a progress report of sorts for the first quarter of the year, charting out one’s progress of their New Year’s resolutions.   You know, sort of a “how are you doing so far?” kind of deal.  Are you still working out a month later?  Are you eating better?  Sure, it led to Easter, which provided more clarity.  But, I think I heard more about what people were sacrificing than of Jesus’ death and resurrection.

But, the season of Lent is about death, and ultimately new life.  You see, we cannot raise things from the dead.  Only God can.  But, as long as we just put off certain behaviors and tendencies we can revive them at a later date.  These things need to die, and that can only happen if we ourselves die to them.  And, when we do that it hurts.  The layers go deep, and when they’re peeled away it’s devastating.  It kills us.  But, God raises dead things.  With the same power that raised Jesus on the third day, we are raised again into a new life with him.  Sure, it’s not free from temptation or trials.

But, a free life it is.

Well, the season of Lent has officially started.   Christians will, for the next forty days, follow Jesus through his suffering and ultimately his death.  We do this in order to truly have something to rejoice in this Easter.  Lent gives us the opportunity to do some things that we’re normally horrendous at:  grieving and remembering.

Henri Nouwen has this to say about it:

A Prayer for Lent, by Henri Nouwen

How often have I lived through these weeks without paying much attention to penance, fasting, and prayer? How often have I missed the spiritual fruits of the season without even being aware of it?  But how can I ever really celebrate Easter without observing Lent?  How can I rejoice fully in your Resurrection when I have avoided participating in your death?  Yes, Lord, I have to die – with you, through you, and in you – and thus become ready to recognize you when you appear to me in your Resurrection.  There is so much in me that needs to die: false attachments, greed and anger, impatience and stinginess…I see clearly now how little I have died with you, really gone your way and been faithful to it.  O Lord, make this Lenten season different from the other ones.  Let me find you again.  Amen.

A Cry for Mercy:  Prayers from the Genesee; Image Books, 2002

Let this season be different than others.  Perhaps you’re like me and there needs to be a lot of death in your life.  Death from pride, selfishness, fear, anger.  Ask God to peel away the layers that cloud your vision of him.  Really, ask him.  When he does (and he will), ask him to do it every day.  You and I both need it, there’s no question.

But, do we really want it?

The Big Red Tractor from Jacob Lewis on Vimeo.

Perhaps you’ve heard of Francis Chan.  Maybe you’ve seen him at a Passion conference, or watched his sermons online.  Or, you may have read Crazy Love.  [If you haven't, please take advantage of a few links...]

Chan’s latest book, Forgotten God: Reversing Our Tragic Neglect for the Holy Spirit has been on repeat in my mind.  I haven’t removed it from my ‘now reading’ section on the blog, as I am reading it again for the second time.  Sometimes I tend to gloss overs sections of a book, and I need to go back to read again so I can soak it all in.

The above video is from the book’s DVD Study Guide.  I thought I’d share it with you all.  The cartoon depicts the condition of many American churches.  It’s interesting to me how a “children’s story” can speak so much clearer to me than other things.  Perhaps it’s that whole ‘innocence like a child‘ thing that Jesus was talking about.  Take a look…

What are your thoughts?  Do you find yourself trying to move the big red tractor?

A few weeks ago at work, I had the pleasure of being the first person for a woman to tell that she had accepted Christ as her Savior.  She shared that she was unsure of so much, yet knew that everything was going to be different.

Tears ran down her face, as she explained that she was embarrassed because she didn’t know where to go when the speaker asked everyone to turn to Colossians.  I encouraged her to get connected to a Christ-centered community of believers where she could be real, as she was asking me about what kind of church she should attend.  At the end of our conversation, she said….

I just got chills.

I was immediately envious of her, because I remember feeling the exact same way when I met Jesus.

And I missed that.  The feeling of coming alive.  Why in the world have I forgotten?

Ironically, it was her new-found faith that reminded me of mine.  In that very moment God used a person ransomed to awake a person complacent.  I was reminded that I was only breathing by the grace of God, and I need to stop taking that for granted.

So, what about you?

Do you remember? Do you remember the last time you were overwhelmed at the thought of what Jesus did for you?  Have you ever stopped to think about where you have come from and what you have become?

For me, it’s overwhelming to think that I would be in full-time ministry.  This is not what I had planned to do, nor wanted to do.  Now, almost two years later, I look back at all the random people/events that came into my life that were used to push me in that direction.

What about you?  What do you see when looking back (even if just for a brief period of time) that reminds you of something other than yourself?  Where have you seen God in your life?

From what I gather so far in the early existence of this blog, there are several Christians who read it, as well as some who may be new to their faith.  Feel free to share with each other to encourage and challenge.  You know, that whole iron sharpening iron kind of thing.

Ready?  Go.

2010 is upon us, folks.

A new year typically brings with it feelings of hope and excitement.  Resolutions are broken made with a hope of things changing.  But, this world really doesn’t do that, does it?  Even in our “best” year, we can always find something that held it back from being worthy of thanks.  Each year gets harder to look forward to.  Heck, tomorrow looks pretty grim.  I tend to just try to hang on and just make it through the year, hoping that it doesn’t kill me.  Fear and anxiety begins to creep in, affecting each and every decision I make.  And, with current times being pretty tough, it seems like one thing after another takes me down the road of panic and fear faster and faster than ever before.

But, I want to challenge all of us to make our resolution for 2010 this: Not worry.

You know, fear is a big deal.  Anxiety is a huge problem in our world. I’m pretty sure I’ve experienced some sort of panic attack in my life. Paul said that God did not create in us a spirit of fear; but one of power and love and self-control. (2 Tim 1:7) So, how come we still have it? It must be that in this fallen world, we are prone and conditioned to fear first instead of seeking the kingdom of God.

Jesus talked about this in the Sermon on the Mount, which would be the moment in history that he unveiled, if you will, what the kingdom of God looked like. We can pick it up in Matthew 6:25….. (more…)