Lenten Moment 21 March 2017

During Lent, some people either get rid of an activity or habit, or they add an additional activity or habit.  Why do this?   Why enter into a 40 day period of spiritual discipline and self-denial?   

Why say grace before we eat?   It doesn’t change the food?   Still the same food.  Still tastes the same way.    We say grace not for the food buy for us.   It helps us remember to be grateful… and as saying grace becomes a habit, we learn gratitude in other areas of our lives.   

Spiritual practices in Lent change us.  In this busy life we lead, these practices help us open much needed spiritual room to remember…  to re-orient… to center again.   We remember again who we are again, before God and in the creation.   These practices give us space to attend to the deeper work of our lives.  They help us orient to our North Star again.  

Some of the older aspects of Lenten practices focused around the main areas of Fasting, Prayer, and Service.    We can use these more traditional areas as a start point for entry into these practices. 

We could make it a habit again of saying our prayers beside our bed before we go to sleep.   You know… back to basics again. 

We could fast from some TV shows in the evening, and use that time to pray or read something nurturing to our lives.   We can use this time to pray again – to spend some quiet time in God’s presence.     When was the last time we actually set aside some time out of our day to pray and be with God? 

We could research a company or ministry that works in an area we feel drawn to, like animal rescue, or economic justice, and instead of buying some cool nice-to-have thing we’re always tempted with, we could give that money to that particular charity or program or ministry. 

The hardest person to forgive is usually ourselves.    During these 40 days, practice self-forgiveness.   Go easier on yourself in the moment, maybe practice private confession, or in your prayers ask for forgiveness so you don’t have to carry the burden around tomorrow.    Remember,  Jesus said, “Stand up and walk, your sins are forgiven!”   Tomorrow is a new day!  

Maybe sacrifice some of your personal time in the day to focus your prayers for someone – a new person every day.  Be open to who you might need to pray for, and be open to what the right prayers might be for them.

Maybe be open enough to allow God to lead you to service for someone.    Maybe there are people in your life God can use you to help.  

Or when you go shopping, buy some extra food and donate it to a local food bank.  And be conscious of God’s hand in this work.         

There are so many other ways to Pray and Fast and Serve.   

Listen to the Spirit…  God will guide you!