Hello, City Church! Well we are knee deep in the season of Lent, and Easter is quickly approaching. To be honest, this is only the second year that I have participated in Lent, and, this year, I gave exactly what I gave up last year with a few extra add-ons. Over the past two years I have found lent to be very challenging, encouraging, somewhat exhausting, but ultimately fulfilling. However, I did not always have a good picture of Lent in my mind growing up.
I was raised in a city with multiple large Catholic churches. Their members, like those of many orthodoxies and denominations, varied; some were deeply involved in their church and faith, and didn’t see much value in it, but participated because that is how they were raised. I mostly grew up with the latter in my circle of life. I had multiple Catholic friends who, like their parents, never really went to Mass, or Confession, or had any involvement of in the life of the church. But they did participate in traditional events that would come around every calendar year, because this was the big stuff and it demanded attention.
Lent was one of those traditions, but so was Fat Tuesday. I was always confused when I would see my friends—in many stages of life—eat, drink, and indulge to the point of excess. I could never understand what the benefit of Lent was. If your goal was to get it all in at once, and then suffer for forty some odd days—all the while complaining and looking forward to the moment you can reengage what you have given up—then what was the point? Please do not misunderstand me: I love our Catholic siblings in Christ, and I appreciate many aspects of their doctrine and practice. But growing up I didn’t have very many good examples in front of me. Thankfully, later in life, I did meet those Catholics who could show me what Lent truly was. Through their example and my own study, I have come to enjoy this time of year, actually to look forward to it.
A 40-day period—as Lent is—resonates with some of the key moments in Scripture. In the Old Testament, when God destroyed the earth with water, He caused it to rain 40 days and 40 nights (Genesis 7:12). After Moses killed the Egyptian, he fled to Midian, where he spent 40 years in the desert tending flocks (Acts 7:30). Moses was on Mount Sinai for 40 days and 40 nights (Exodus 24:18). Moses interceded on Israel’s behalf for 40 days and 40 nights (Deuteronomy 9:18, 25). The Israelite spies took 40 days to spy out Canaan (Numbers 13:25). For 40 years, rather than 40 days, the Israelites wandered in the desert (Deuteronomy 8:2-5). Goliath taunted Saul’s army for 40 days before David arrived to slay him (1 Samuel 17:16). In the New Testament, Jesus was tempted for 40 days and 40 nights (Matthew 4:2). There were 40 days between Jesus’ resurrection and ascension (Acts 1:3).
It would seem that this number has the leaning of a time of trial, temptation, and hardship that ultimately births something wonderful. This is what I look forward to the most in Lent: the closeness and intimacy with God as I lay something down in order to seek Him; giving up something that I might use too much, or takes up to much of my time; or bringing a struggle or sin to Him of which I need to repent. Whatever it may be, for forty days I go without, I struggle, and in so doing grow and hope something wonderful is birthed from it. So far, my blessing has become intimacy with God.
So in the midst of Lent, I want to encourage you to keep going, keep fighting, keep laying down whatever it is you have given up and strive for closeness with Christ—and my prayer is that you experience a resurgence in your spiritual life and a deepening of your faith.
