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LENT 2020: LEGACY

Through the Lenten season, we hope to explore some historic ways Christians have practiced Lent including learning the practices of prayerfastingservingliving simply, and giving. Each Lenten reflection is accompanied by some suggestions of ways that you and your family might experiment with the practices of Lent. Today, we look at the discipline of Fasting

Fasting 

FASTING

What are you giving up for Lent? Not as much time on Instagram? Less selfies? Perhaps snacking less? Netflix? Sharing your true feelings and writing them out instead of using emoji’s? Checking your phone every 2 minutes? Sugar? Soda? I guess the list is endless.

Many people have an idea that Lent is about giving stuff up. I don’t think anyone should have to give up something for Lent for the sake of misery itself (or even for self-betterment).

What if we, instead of seeing the discipline of fasting as some food/drink we’re giving up, but instead, see it as making room to draw closer to Jesus? Instead of losing something, we’re gaining. Perhaps the giving up of something, sometimes good, for the sake of a greater good.

The discipline of fasting during Lent is just one of the varied ways that people have used to draw closer to the heart of Christ. Fasting was practiced in the Old Testament (Ezra 8:21-23; Jonah 3:10) and was recommended by Jesus both in example and teaching (Lk.4:2, Mt.6:16-18, Mk.2:20). So, why fast? Let me list just three reasons. One, the discipline of fasting teaches us dependence on God and weaken attraction to things that cannot sustain us. It teaches us that life apart from Christ is not just difficult, but impossible. Fasting is going without food or certain foods for designated periods during Lent. Abstinence from some activity (such as television, movies, entertainment, etc.) for designated time throughout the season is another way to observe the Lenten fast. Both are designed to give more attention and time to prayer and dependence on God.

Second, fasting frees us from disordered loves. We either rid our lives or reorder our competing loves to put God first and second things second. Fasting helps us to examine areas of recurring sin in our lives or refrain (for a time) from those things that have taken the place of God.

Third, the 40 days are set aside to prepare us for something better that is yet to come. Lent was meant to focus our thoughts and prepare us for a coming Day. Lent is a time of preparation for Easter. But for us, it’s not just what’s coming on April 21, but a coming Day when, we too, will be resurrected to glory. What begins with ashes ends with a resurrection.   

THE PRACTICE

Take the 7-day fasting challenge. Choose a regular item or activity to abstain from for one week (or for the remainder of Lent). Consider an activity that regularly costs you money and donate those funds to LENT 2020: LEGACY. Examples: Coffee ($3.50/day x 7 days = $24.50 to donate)