Walking Into Lent

Today is exactly one week before the beginning of Lent. I hadn’t intended to address this subject today, but a conversation earlier piqued my interest to think about this important time of the Church year.

I know that not all Christians observe significant days and seasons in the Church calendar; I certainly didn’t grow up with this understanding. But Lent preceding Easter, just as Advent preceding Christmas, has become an important time of reflection and growing intimacy with the Savior.

According to historians, the Lenten observance began in apostolic times and was formalized at the First Council of Nicaea in 325 AD. It’s always been known as a period of fasting, regret, and repentance for one’s sins during the 40 weekdays preceding Easter. During and after the Reformation, many Protestants rejected Lenten practices as a refutation of the Roman Catholic church.

But in my opinion, we too often “throw the baby out with the bathwater,” and this is clearly seen when we disregard practices intended to bring us into deepening intimacy with our Heavenly Father. While many people choose a kind of abstinence to show their devotion during Lent, I’d like to suggest that we instead do just the opposite: add a practice designed to demonstrate (primarily only to God) our love and commitment to Him and our calling as His servants.

For many years I’ve taken a special book off the shelf, divided it into 40 pages or sections, and used it as a refreshing and always soul-stirring practice during Lent. It’s The Singer, the first of Calvin Miller’s allegorical trilogy of Christ’s life. (Don’t turn it down because it’s an allegory; I almost made that dreadful mistake.)

But I’d like to suggest another discipline on the walk toward Easter, a practice that I’m going to renew because I’ve tasted of its impact on my soul but something I’ve let slide: a daily—starting out with fifteen minutes—period of solitude and silence. If this is new for you (or perhaps, like me, a neglected practice) or if you simply need more information, you can Google Solitude and Silence for ideas. But don’t get wrapped up in “instructions.” Set aside a period where you can be alone without any sound except the sound of your own breath. Ask the Holy Spirit to renew your relationship with the God who loves with a never-ending, always-present, abundant love. I find it helpful to first read a familiar psalm–perhaps Psalm 23–before entering into silence. But this is NOT a time for study. If you’re like me, resist the urge! 

God says to seek His face. And He promises to be found.