Ash Wednesday marks the beginning to the church season known as Lent. Lent is the time between Ash Wednesday and Easter for fasting as a way to prepare our souls to celebrate all that Easter is. Growing up I didn't do Lent. I watched in college as friends gave up candy and meat on Fridays for this season, but I never did it.
Several years back I decided to change that and I'm so glad I did. I am a Baptist and didn't celebrate Lent simply due to pride and ignorance. I thought I didn't have to celebrate Lent, I'm saved by the grace of God alone and not by works so why would I follow some man-made season of fasting? Well, I was missing out on this man-made yet God-honoring sanctification and worship tool for a long time because of my pride and ignorance.
Christians do not have to celebrate Lent or Advent or any other date on the church calendar. However, I think we can grow a lot from following the example of our more liturgical brothers and sisters. For those of you that have never observed the Lenten season or haven't for a long time, I challenge you to do it this year.
Here are some ideas for observing Lent based on the remove and replace theory that I've seen a lot of wisdom in following. See, I've found in my life that if I remove one vice or luxury I will replace it with another. Therefore, when you fast from a vice or luxury fill that space with something good.
Without further ado here are ten ideas for Lent:
1) Remove a social media app from your phone and look at a Bible app whenever you feel the urge to look at Snap Chat, Twitter, Facebook, etc.
2) Remove all TV time or a specific TV time and replace it with a personal or group Bible study time.
3) Cut out beverages or a beverage other than water (pop, coffee, beer, tea, etc) and donate the money you would have spent on that to an organization that digs wells for those who need access to clean water.
4) Turn off the radio on your daily commute (as a DJ it kills me to this) and replace it with a time of prayer or a sermon podcast.
5) Remove a night out on the town and replace it with a visit to your local nursing home to spend time with some of our most forgotten brothers and sisters.
6) Fast for lunch one day a week and replace it with eating the Bread of Life from the Scriptures.
7) Give up criticism of coworkers and replace it with a concerted effort at giving them compliments.
8) Replace idle time with daily Bible journaling.
9) Take out a mirror that you often use and replace it in that same spot with a verse that you will look at and memorize.
10) Fast from sweets and desserts and donate the money you would have spent on that to an organization that feeds the hungry.
We don't have to do Lent, but we can observe Lent this year. Lent begins on Valentine's Day and that is so fitting because it is a great tool to help us organize our loves in a way that honors Christ.
You can and should observe Lent. Think of a way that works for you today.
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