Have you ever seen ashes on someone’s foreheads and wondered what was going on?
Growing up I thought it was so strange, and kind of just wanted to stay away from that and keep my distance. My reluctance eventually turned in to curiosity: what was this all about? So, like any young child I asked my mom, "Why does that person over there have a smudge on their head?" She told me it was a practice of the Catholic religion for Lent. So, I knew physically why they did this, but I never really followed up, because as far as I was concerned it was something Catholics did, and I’m not Catholic. And for years, I honestly never gave it another thought.
Even though I celebrate Easter every year, I never really knew what the connection to Lent (which begins on Ash Wednesday) was. Why was there this period before Easter every year?
So, I began to do some research. I learned that Lent is observed by many different Christian denominations, including Lutherans, Methodists, Presbyterians, and Anglicans, in addition to the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches. It’s a season that lasts from Ash Wednesday to Palm Sunday (which is usually six weeks or forty days). On Ash Wednesday, you go to church, and you have ashes put on your forehead. It signifies your faith in Christ and, in biblical fashion, reminds us of repentance and death.
The forty days of Lent is significant for a couple of reasons. It represents the forty years the Israelites wandered in the dessert (Numbers 14:33-34), as well as the forty days that Jesus fasted in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11). During the forty days in the dessert after His baptism, Jesus fasted from food and water and was tempted by Satan. By following this pattern of forty, Lent helps prepare Christians for the events of Good Friday and Easter.
So, what do we do during Lent?
We sacrifice and we focus on God. You prepare yourself for the coming of Good Friday and Easter, and we remember what Jesus has done and is continuing to do. At my church, we recite the Apostles’ Creed on a regular basis. This Lent, I’ve thought a lot about the words of that creed, that statement of faith:
"We believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From there he will come again to judge the living and the dead.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic* church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen."
These simple truths are what we should focus on during Lent: what Jesus experienced for us. This is the gospel. But still, I wonder. Isn't this our main focus? Shouldn’t we usually focus on this? This is the basis of our faith! Why do we need these forty days? How do we focus more on Christ death, and resurrection for our sins?
This is where fasting (one of the most common ways to sacrifice during Lent) comes in to play. Fasting can be done in many ways. You can do no food and no liquid. You can do no food with liquid, a sunrise to sunset fast, fast from something that distracts (phone, TV, games), or any number of other fasts. I have been reading a book that a friend of mine let me borrow called The Beginner's Guide to Fasting by Elmer L. Towns. It lays out the history and steps of fasting and if you’re interested in learning more, I recommend it.
So now we know a few ways to fast. But what do we do while we are fasting? We pray. We focus on God. Reading Towns’ book, I found out there are different ways to pray during a fast depending on what your goal is. If you’re fasting for a new sound board for your church, then you pray a prayer of petition. If you’re fasting for a friend of yours that doesn’t follow Christ, you pray a prayer of intercession.
I think this is the neat thing about Lent and preparing for Easter. You can really experience a wide range of prayers. You can worship, confess, dedicate, petition, and praise. It’s all about putting God first and focusing on His sacrifice and what it means for you today.
My fear has always been that Lent or fasting would become a checkbox type thing. So, I often ask myself, where are my intentions? Am I taking this seriously? Another interesting thing Towns brought up is the fact that you don’t have to fast, it’s a choice. Some people might have a closer relationship with God and have never fasted. But sometimes we need to be reminded of who God is. I know I do. That’s why I think a good understanding of what fasting is will help you have a more meaningful fast and thus a more meaningful faith. One of my fellow elders and I have been fasting together on a regular basis. He does a sunrise to sunset food fast, and I do a social media fast at the same time. Our main focus is to pray for our church and for each other, to take something that takes time out of our day and redirect that time to focus on God. Because we can all use a little more God, more discipline, and sacrifice.
I encourage you not to just fast this Lent, but to put God first. Take whatever steps you need to in order to help you do that. Do whatever helps you make Him your priority, because He deserves it all.
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