Today is known as "Fat Tuesday"...the day before
the official beginning of the forty days of Lent. This is how one writer
described it:
"Fat Tuesday is also known as Mardi Gras Day or Shrove Day.
It is a day when people eat all they want of everything
and anything they want as the following day is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of
a traditional fasting period for Christians.
In addition to fasting, Christians also give up something
special that they enjoy. So, Fat Tuesday is a celebration and the opportunity
to enjoy that favorite food or snack that you give up for the long Lenten
season."
It's interesting how some people approach the beginning of a
longer reflection on Jesus' death, his sacrifice, as a party time...
Hmmm, Fasting? Giving Up.
Sure, I know many Christians who approach the Lenten season as a season for fasting and giving up something they value. I've heard of giving up coffee, sugar, chocolate, sweets, alcohol, etc...
Nothing wrong with
committing ourselves to withdraw from something for the sake of focusing our
time and attention on God's word; but the notion that we somehow are
"doing" something can easily lead to a merit based approach - sort of
a performance based approach - to knowing God.
What is it they are missing? We don't gain any
standing before God because we "give up" something. Our works
are not the focus for Lent...the focus is solely, completely on what God has
done in his Son's work for us.
Here's Paul's version of why Christ should be the object of
whatever we decide to do for Lent.
Philippians 2:1-11
1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy,
2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.
3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,
7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,
10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy,
2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.
3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,
7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,
10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
I am looking forward to taking some time to think, read
scripture, meditate, pray my way through the Lenten season.
Why?
Not because it will bring merit before God, or to get God's
favor by being "spiritual"...No, simply because my Savior has done so
much for me...and I just want to think about it again.
I've shared this before, so please forgive the repeat, but
I've just finished and published an e-book entitled "A Lenten
Sojourn". It's available at Amazon and can be downloaded as a
companion for reading scripture during Lent.
Follow this link if you're interested:
http://www.amazon.com/Lenten-Sojourn-Elliott-Pollasch-ebook/dp/B00TMICMZC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1424186218&sr=8-1&keywords=a+lenten+sojourn
Whatever you choose to do - make it for the glory of God and
not aggrandizement of self.
Peace
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