Are you giving up something?

Lent is upon us as it is Ash Wednesday today; a 40 day period of prayer and fasting.  So I ask you are you giving up something for lent?  Are you going to fast from something that will give you the opportunity to draw closer to God?  Yesterday, I shared Psalm 119:10 where it stated, "With my whole heart I seek you..."  The idea behind giving up something is to allow us to seek God as well as "experience" to a very small degree what Jesus experienced while fasting for 40 days.  Jesus was faced with temptation as well as we are faced with the temptation of "using" the very thing we gave up for 40 days.  The difference - Jesus did not succumb to the temptation as we do.

Growing up in a Catholic town giving up something for lent topped the conversation chart every time lent rolled around.  The students in school would try and hold each other accountable but there was a lack of seriousness to it.  It was something that had to be done because that was tradition; however, the tradition failed to hone in on growing closer to God.  I would not say that this was the case for everyone, but from my perspective of looking in many felt it was something that was done just because.

So I ask you again - are you giving up something?  If you are giving up something is it something that will allow you the opportunity to seek Christ with your whole heart?  If you are someone that does give up something for Lent, I challenge you to find something that will allow you to seek Him.  If you are not one that gives up something, I challenge you to spend the next 40 days seeking Him through a different avenue.

One idea I came across is a book entitled "Writing to God" by Rachel G. Hackenberg.  It is an exercise of 40 days of praying with a pen.  This is the challenge I am putting before myself.  I am going to spend the next 40 days really focusing on my prayer life; an opportunity to grow closer to my Savior. 

Another idea I am asking of a group of people at my church is to send one card a day for 40 days.  When the 40 days are up each family will have sent 40 individuals a card.  The card can be sent for any purpose, but in that card hopefully Christ's love will be shared in some way.  This is a way to serve people as Christ came to earth to serve and not be served.  (Matthew 20:28)

I am not one that "gives up" something for lent; yet, I think the focus being on Christ for 40 days is truly important.  It reminds us of just what Christ did for us as well as deepens our relationship with Him.

Cheryl