Dear Lenten Sojourners in Christ,
Occasionally, it is helpful to take a step back and regroup. This time to evaluate where you are and where you would like to be can be helpful. For your car, we call it a tune-up and oil change. For your house, we call it a spring cleaning. For your body, we call it our annual physical check-up with our doctor. Even when those events are not very fun because we find an unexpected issue: like a mechanical issue with our car, a defect in our house, or cholesterol numbers that our doctor does not like; a check-up of these things is helpful because it alerts us to the issue and then we can fix it.
This spring, like every spring, we have a chance to do a spiritual evaluation. We have the opportunity to evaluate where we stand in regards to our faith. Are we healthy? Are we involved in anything that is hurting our faith and separating us from our God? Is the faith that we confess together on Sundays also confessed in our lives on Mondays when we go to work, to school, out to eat, or to social events? Do we live in that glad confession that Jesus Christ is Lord at all times? Are there days when we are tempted to check our faith at the door, like we might excuse a day from our plans for diet and exercise?
The name for the time that the Church uses to evaluate where we stand is “Lent.” During these 40 days (not counting Sundays) we are reminded of Jesus’ 40 day temptation in the wilderness after His Baptism and the people of Israel’s 40 years of sojourning in the wilderness after they refused to enter the promised land that God had provided for them.
As we think of our temptations and the times that we have rejected God, we realize again the unfortunate truth that we are poor, miserable sinners. That is far worse news than going to the mechanic and learning that you need new brakes or going to your doctor and learning about your new low-cholesterol diet. There are things we can do to improve our car or our health. But for our sin, there is nothing that we can do.
However, that is not the same as saying that nothing can be done. Indeed, something has been done for our sin, but we did not do it. Our Lord, Jesus Christ, confronts us with our sin. He calls us to repent and believe that His kingdom is at hand. “Repent” means to turn around — to turn away from sin. When Jesus calls you to repent, He calls you to turn away from your sin and to believe in Him, because He has saved you by His death and resurrection. But even that does not always bring a great deal of hope, though, because we have to admit that we are not good at repenting of our sin and we are not good at leaving that sin behind. So often, we return back to it, and realize how poorly we have done. We might even fear that God will stop forgiving us.
As we enter this Lenten season, we are called to return to the Lord, our God. He is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love for you! The Good News is that He has sent His Son so that all who believe in Him should not perish but have eternal life. He calls us away from sin into faith in Him. Better yet, He provides the gift of faith and strengthens that faith through His Word and Sacraments. It is all a free gift from your God! Rejoice and be glad in His salvation for you this holy Lent.
In Christ’s Perfect Peace,
Pastor Steven Anderson
Devotional Ideas for Lent
In the history of the Church, Lent was a time for reflection, fasting, and prayer. There are several ways that one can practice that in Lent. These practices are not necessary, but voluntary, for one’s own spiritual benefit. These practices do not merit favor before God, but can be helpful practices for one’s repentance and preparation for the Easter feast.
- Fasting, either by giving up food for a meal or for a day. This is a helpful reminder that the “belly god” of your stomach does not control your life (please do not do this if you have a health condition or a concern that it could harm you). In addition, you could spend the time you save by not cooking and eating in additional prayer, and donating the money you would spend on food to a charity.
- Giving something up. Often, people might try to remove a sinful habit or an overindulgence during the season of Lent (and maybe even after Lent!). Once again, this is just a reminder that there is life outside of one’s computer use, coffee use, or whatever else you choose to give up. Again, you can use the time and money you would have invested into additional prayer and Bible study or in donation to a charity.
- Adding additional prayer and Bible study to your devotional life. Praying the Psalms (especially Psalms 6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, and 143) is one option. Another is to use a Prayer Service for use at home printed in the Lutheran Service Book on pages 295-298 (the church has plenty of hymnals if you wish to borrow one!). There are also recommended Bible readings for each day in the LSB on pages 299-304. If you do not have family devotions in your home, this might be a time to begin. There are always Portals of Prayer available in the narthex.
- Extra alm-giving. Historically, this has been called “giving alms” and was especially directed to the poor. Consider a charity (Lutheran Church Charities, Lutheran Heritage Foundation, Lutherans of Life, Lori Wilbert – Prison Ministry, etc.) that you might support in addition to your usual contributions to Church and charity this Lent.
These are idea starters, but whatever you do, do it for the Lord, and not under any compulsion. Take comfort in the grace of Jesus Christ, who suffered and died for you. Live in His grace during this season of Lent and always!