Lent: Both/And

...three crosses on our mantel...
I have a blogging friend who has decided to give up opinions for Lent.  She has explained her decision in previous posts and locked it in in THIS one.  She refers to Lent as "six glorious weeks".  Personally, I can't imagine that refraining from opinions for six weeks could ever be glorious.  I fear I would fail with such frequency that I would give up LONG before the six glorious weeks were finished!  But it got me to thinking....

Commenting briefly on her post this morning, I wrote:  "I have about 12 hours to decide if and from what I will 'abstain' for the Six Glorious Weeks. I'm leaning toward an add-on rather than a subtraction, however.  Maybe Both/And - as did our Lord those 40 days.... 'not bread alone/every word that proceeds from the mouth of God'.

Meanwhile (and on the subject of Lent) Scotty Ward Smith tweeted:  "To equate Lent with legalism is similar to equating water with drowning. There's the right use, misuse, and abuse of most things." 

I come from a church background that doesn't observe Lent in the traditional ways.  This DOES not and WILL not keep me from intensifying my focus on the Christ whose passion resulted in my eternal salvation.  I want to - I NEED to - "use" Lent rightly.

5 comments:

  1. i like this Rebecca. Lent, for me (who did not grown up in a tradition that observed Lent, as you know) has become a time to focus on that which keeps from distant from God. Been doing a lot of thinking about it. will probably end up being a post, but not processed enough to write sensibly today., Thinking of you this morning and your family as you walk the journey with your aging parents, as many of us are.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I look forward to reading YOUR thoughts, Carol... And thanks for thinking of me this morning. (I just got back from a Dr. app't with my father in Toledo and will spend tomorrow morning with my mother, God willing...)

      Delete
  2. I added something for Lent... that would allow me to subtract something... Our son will be released from prison during the 38th day of Lent (April 17th). I am daily praying that the Lord will take from me my need to control my son's life and would do whatever (and I do mean whatever) is necessary to draw him (our son) unto Him.. It is a frightening prayer of sorts and relinquishing has never been my strong point. May it ever be! ~ Amen!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Letting go of something in order to take hold of something ... that's always been my focus during Lent.

    ReplyDelete

Writing a Song a Week #3

Writing a Song a Week #3
♪ I wait for the Lord; my soul waits and in his word I hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning ♪ (Psalm 130:5-6)