The season of Lent

Lent is a time to focus on repentance and morning over our sins. There is no scriptural support for Lent, but it does seem to be spiritually wise to observe Lent. Just like it is good to have a yearly physical checkup, it is much like a yearly spiritual checkup.

Bad reasons to observe Lent

Fasting and abstaining for merit.

We are not justified by these things. We don't win some sort of spiritual points for fasting or giving things up. We are loved and accepted based on what Jesus has done for us. We cannot make God love us more or less. Nothing we do or don't do affects God's affection for us. We should have no sense of pride for what we did during Lent. We should not feel more worthy from what we do.

Observing Lent externally

God is focused primarily upon the heart. Doing the right things with the wrong intentions may be more offensive than not doing them at all. Outward acts without the proper heart attitude is more pretense that cannot please God.

Introspectively

To be totally focused on ourselves, is another pitfall. Our motivation is to improve ourselves rather than in a god-ward direction. Or for those of us who find ourselves praying for the same things year after year, we can become depressed over how little we've changed. But that too is pride, we cannot save ourselves. We need a savior. Lent is to prepare us for the resurrection. We are sinners, but the resurrection power is at work in us.

So why observe Lent?

"I am willing to give up what is good to get the best."

Fasting in the old testament was an expression of longing for a Savior. So while Jesus was with the disciples, they did not fast. After he left, we now have a Savior but it is now a long distance relationship. So now in the new testament, we have tasted of Jesus and now long for the second coming. Fasting causes us to ache physically, but it should reflect our spiritual aching. So when we give up these things, it is so we can have more of Christ. Better than ____, Christ gives me through salvation. Whether it is joy, peace, rest, etc.

We also examine our lives for idols. Looking things that are good, but we make greater priority than Jesus. Comfort, approval of people, worldly success, and all these things are good. But when they become ultimate, they become sin.