Lent Is an Opportunity
Are you satisfied with your walk with Christ? Or do you long for more? Do you want to rekindle your faith? To be more like Christ? To experience more of God’s presence in your life?
Good for you. Time for spiritual renewal is here: Lent begins on Ash Wednesday (today). Lent is an opportunity to imitate Jesus as he fasted forty days in the desert. Lent is an opportunity to make room for God in our lives and get closer to him. Even Jesus did not say if you fast, he said when you fast.
“And when you fast, don’t put on a sad face like the hypocrites. They distort their faces so people will know they are fasting. I assure you that they have their reward. When you fast, brush your hair and wash your face. Then you won’t look like you are fasting to people, but only to your Father who is present in that secret place. Your Father who sees in secret will reward you”. (Matthew 6:16-18, CEB, emphasis added,*)
Lent is an opportunity for repentance, renewal and spiritual growth. We all need it whether we admit it or not. Just like Jesus fasted, we need to turn our eyes on God. Just like Jesus took time away to pray, we need to make room for God.
But we need to remind ourselves that our salvation does not depend on whether we keep Lent or not, whether we succeed with our fast or not. But Lent is for our own good.
Lent is a blessing. It is an opportunity for spiritual renewal. It is an opportunity to seize what really matters. Because we become what we worship.
“Don’t hoard treasure down here where it gets eaten by moths and corroded by rust or—worse!—stolen by burglars. Stockpile treasure in heaven, where it’s safe from moth and rust and burglars. It’s obvious, isn’t it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being. (Matthew 6:19-21, MSG,*)
Lent is a paradox: when we give up something, God gives us more of things that really matter. When we surrender our chaos, we receive peace. When we repent, we receive grace upon grace. When we give up our darkness, we receive light upon light.
The eye is the lamp of the body. So if your eye is sound, your entire body will be full of light. But if your eye is unsound, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the very light in you [your conscience] is darkened, how dense is that darkness! (Matthew 6:22-23, AMP,*)
It is time to check how the very light in us, our conscience, is doing. It is time to repent anything that darkens our souls or hinders our spiritual growth. It is time to remember that we are but dust.
Gracious God,
We are but dust
yet we so often forget you.
Forgive our sins, Lord.
We are but dust
yet you love us without measure.
Make us more like you!
We are but dust
yet we are called to live with you.
Give us more of you!
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
Q4U: What are you plans for Lent? Do you give something up? Or do you take something on?
Be blessed, my fellow pilgrim, as you seek God this Lenten season!
* [As you might have noticed, I enjoy reading the Bible in different translations and love comparing them. I have started linking the Bible verses to Biblegateway.com so you can easily read (and compare) them in the different versions I’ve used while preparing each post.]
Image courtesy of Andrew Stutesman. Linking up today with Unite the Bloggersphere , Three Word Wednesday and #tellhisstory.
4 thoughts on “Lent Is an Opportunity”
Yes, Lent is such a great time to receive, not just give up. You have so many great thoughts here, Mari-Anna
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“We all need it whether we admit it or not. Just like Jesus fasted, we need to turn our eyes on God.”
“Lent is a blessing. It is an opportunity for spiritual renewal. It is an opportunity to seize what really matters. Because we become what we worship.”
Great truths!
Thank you, Lisa. May these words bless many. And may you be specially blessed this lenten season!
Giving up and receiving this Lenten season for the first time. I’m ready and in need of spiritual renewal. Loved your prayer. Beautiful post. Thank you for sharing with TWW. Blessings.
Thanks, Beth. I pray that God will shower you with his blessings to renew you this lenten season. Rest in Him!