A few things about Ash Wednesday and Lent. Neither are ordinances from Christ. There is no where in the Bible mandating or prescribing Lent, Ash Wednesday, Easter, Advent, Christmas or the like be celebrated. If you do not celebrate Lent you are not sinning by any means. These holidays and seasons, however, are not anti-Biblical. Throughout the Bible one of the most common commands is to remember. These seasons help us remember, to be mindful of a particular event or a attribute of our Lord.
I didn't observe Lent for most of my life, but since 2011 I have made a point to use Lent as a time to remember and fix my gaze on Christ more in more intentional ways. I plan on doing what I've done every year since 2011 and that is writing every day on this blog. Rather than abstaining from some unsinful thing as is the tradition during Lent, I add daily writing to help increase my focus on daily Bible reading and daily focus on seeing God.
You don't have to observe Lent if you are a Christian and to mandate it would be more phariasitical than pastoral; but if you do, below are some good ideas.
1) Memorize a Bible passage each week.
Our church using the Fighter Verses program. It is a great way to meditate on Scripture and hide it in your heart.2) Eliminate a social media app on your phone.
If you're like me these apps get tapped into mindlessly. And if your social media is like mine, most of it isn't Christ exalting. Try getting rid of the app during Lent and looking at an app like BibleGateway instead.3) Listen to a daily sermon.
During your commute or your lunch or instead of a TV show you could listen to a sermon. Sermons from good Bible preaching pastors can be found all over the internet. You can YouTube several or download an app like Truth for Life.4) Stop drinking a certain beverage.
Whether it be coffee, pop or beer, cut out a beverage and then use the money you would have spent on that drink to donate to a group that digs wells for people that need clean drinking water. Many great organizations do it like World Vision.5) Skip a meal a week.
Fast from a breakfast, lunch or supper each week and replace that time with Bible reading and prayer. Don't eat bread or drink water and instead feast on the Bread of Life and drink from the Well of Eternal Life.
Whatever you do or don't do this Lent, I hope you use your days to become abide more in the Vine. Every single day of our life should be used in this pursuit and Lent can help us do this more intentionally. Who knows you may start a new life building habit today.
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