It's not in the Bible

We are a few days into the season that many Christians call, “Lent.”  One of the oldest traditions of Christianity, Lent is the name for a fast, extending for 40 days prior to the celebration of Easter, that is intended to make us more aware of the Presence of the Holy Spirit.  When I spoke of Lent one congregant remarked, “but it’s not in the Bible.”  Yes, that is true, but neither is the celebration of Christmas. These fasts and feasts are part of our traditions to help us, not hinder us; to encourage us in our faith, not to become things we worship. It’s easy to miss the point of any tradition. An example is Christmas gift-giving. It should remind us of God’s Gift of His Son, Jesus. Many have made it just an orgy of consumerism. 

Lent can be a time to be reminded of the Eternal Life that gives meaning to our present life. It should  remind us that we more than our appetites for food, pleasure, and/or sex. Some of us miss the point entirely by looking for some little thing to ‘give up for Lent,’ that has no real impact; as in, “I gave up chocolate Hershey Kisses.”  Then, too, some turn Lent into a kind of religious boasting.  “I gave up Facebook for Lent.”  “Oh, yeah? Well, I gave up watching TV entirely!”  Once again, the point of it all is missed entirely. Jesus said “Take care! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired, because then you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven." (Matthew 6:1, NLT)

The church I grew up in mostly ignored the Church’s calendar.  The thought was that the tradition was ‘too religious,’ and that we who were reputedly ‘people of the Spirit,’ had no need of such reminders.  They had a point. If you and I are living a life that is vibrantly, intimately in touch with the Holy Spirit,  we will already be fasting, serving, giving, listening, praying – all aims of the celebration of seasons like Lent.  Human nature being what it is, though, we forget the Heavenly and become slaves of the urgency of the present, don’t we?  That is why we need regular reminders that life is not just about our next meal.

While Lent is not ‘in the Bible,’ the idea of fasts and feasts certainly is.  God called His people to regular times of renewal.  The Jews were called to festivals that celebrated God’s goodness at intervals spread throughout the calendar year.  A cornerstone of their dedication was the Sabbath, setting aside one day in 7 to worship the Creator whose own creative acts established the pattern of work and worship.  I urge you to take time to pray about a fast during Lent.  Ask the Holy Spirit to lead you to set aside some part of daily life for this season and to use that choice as an ‘offering of worship’ that turns your heart towards God, that makes you aware of both your craving for stuff and your desperate reliance on the Spirit for life.

The paradox is that our private devotion can become the fertile soil in which the seeds of a beautiful life grows.  Others will take note, not of our fast, but of the Spirit-life that emerges. Here’s a word from the Word.  “Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:14-16, The Message)