Season of lent
Hello everyone!
We are now officially in the Season of Lent. The Season of Lent is best known as the forty days leading up to Easter Sunday. The Season of Lent symbolizes the forty days Jesus spent in the wilderness being tested by the devil. It is also a time for Christians to sharpen their spiritual focus by emphasizing a special time of prayer, fasting, and giving. Today, I want to look at these three basic aspects of the Lenten season.
First, the Season of Lent is a time of prayer. Prayer in my opinion, is simply having a conversation with God. It can be as simple as talking to Him about the things in your heart and asking for both His guidance and protection. Hebrews 4:16 describes prayer in this manner, “Let us then approach God’s thrown of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” During Lent, I encourage you to make prayer a priority, asking God to address those areas in your life that you need His help.
Second, the Season of Lent is a time of fasting. Fasting is essentially abstaining from food or something else for a specific period of time in order to focus on God. Jesus himself says in Matthew 6:16-17, “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites…But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” There is no need to tell everyone what spiritual discipline you are expressing during the Lenten season. Our sacrifice should not become a public spectacle. It should simply be between you and God.
Third, the Season of Lent is a time of giving. During the Lenten season, we can give by volunteering our time, talents, and financial support to our local church or any noteworthy non-profit organizations in our community. We can even donate our gently used clothing or household items to one of our favorite charities. 1 John 3:17 says it like this, “If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?” Always remember, giving of oneself is a very important aspect of the Season of Lent.
Yes, the Season of Lent is the forty days leading up to Easter Sunday morning. It is a time for Christians to sharpen their spiritual focus through emphasizing a special time of prayer, fasting, and giving. I leave you today with a concluding scripture found in Daniel 9:3, “Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.”
Blessings!!!