I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church,
to observe a holy Lent:
by self–examination and repentance;
by prayer, fasting, and self–denial;
and by reading and meditating on God's Holy Word.

Self-denial doesn't sound like very much fun, but it is something with which we are all familiar. Self-denial is a major component of weight-loss. We often practice self-denial in order to get something we want. If we want a new car, for example, we might deny ourselves the treat of a daily latte or dinner out once a week in order to save money. While we probably miss those lattes and dinners out, when we get behind the wheel of that new car we are glad we denied ourselves. Currently Gary and I are trying to put some money away for our vacation. We will be glad that we denied ourselves some small pleasures when we have the pleasure of indulging ourselves a bit during our vacation week in May!

Self-denial in the Lenten sense is not done for a material purpose ~ although that might be a side benefit. Lenten self-denial involves denying ourselves in order to draw closer to God. During Lent we typically think of giving up something, like chocolate. If, during Lent, our desire for chocolate makes us think of God then our awareness of God becomes greater and, hopefully, we come to feel God's presence in a closer way.

Self-denial can also lead us to reflect on all that Jesus gave for us. We may deny ourselves a particular treat or TV show. Jesus gave his very life for us. Our practice of Lenten self-denial can help us to feel a greater gratitude for Jesus self-giving love.

Have you ever practiced self-denial for a spiritual purpose? Has your practice of self-denial brought you closer to God? How might the practice of self-denial help you prepare for Easter?

I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church,
to observe a holy Lent:
by self–examination and repentance;
by prayer, fasting, and self–denial;
and by reading and meditating on God's Holy Word.

This week we get to talk about fasting! I have to admit that I only have limited experience with fasting from food. I have done the John Wesley fast a few times, which involves fasting from sundown on Thursday through sundown on Friday. During these fasts I allowed myself water and juice to drink. At one of my churches we had a Lenten Study that met on Wednesday evenings. As a group we covenanted not to eat lunch on Wednesday before the study. We broke the fast with a dinner of soup and bread before we began our study together Wednesday evening. I also have participated in two 30 Hour Famines with youth groups at my churches. These events involve fasting for 30 hours (Friday after lunch through Saturday evening) to raise money for hunger relief and awareness around the world.

All of the fasts I mentioned above involve fasting from food. I have to say that I have not experienced the spiritual effects of these fasts that many other people have described. I know that fasting from food can be a powerful experience of drawing closer to God. I also know that every one is different and these kind of fasts haven't really 'worked' for me.

One Lent I did "fast" from television and I found it to be a profoundly spiritual experience. Even though I don't consider myself an avid TV-watcher, not watching TV for the 40 days of Lent allowed me more time to spend with God, with other people, and in pursuits I had not thought I had time for before. I read an incredible amount during that Lent. I admit that I did miss watching TV. Still, I came out of that experience feeling closer to God and stronger in my faith.

Have you ever fasted? What was the experience like for you? What "nontraditional" fasts have you done? Would you consider fasting to draw closer to God?

Next week, a related topic ~ self-denial!

I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church,
to observe a holy Lent:
by self–examination and repentance;
by prayer, fasting, and self–denial;
and by reading and meditating on God's Holy Word.

This week's topic is prayer! Part of our call to Lenten discipline is to spend more time in prayer. How much time do you spend in prayer on an average day? I find it helpful to remind myself that prayer is both listening to and speaking with God. Otherwise, I will fill my prayer time with my words to God and forget to listen for God's words to me.

I have also found it helpful to designate certain times of the day to prayer. My most significant prayer time is in the morning before I 'begin my day.' During this time I read Scripture, pray extemporaneously, use guided prayer and read a devotional. Then, throughout the day, I mark the transitions of the day with prayer ~ arriving at work, midday, evening and before bed. This general pattern works for me, but probably won't work for you exactly. We all have to find our own rhythm to our prayer relationship with God.

During these weeks of Lent we are invited to be more intentional about our spiritual disciplines, including prayer. What prayer disciplines have worked for you? What prayer disciplines would you like to try? Do you feel a need to deepen your prayer life? How has Lent become more meaningful or richer for you through prayer?

May these weeks of Lent be a blessing and a challenge to us all as we draw closer to the cross and the empty tomb!

I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church,
to observe a holy Lent:
by self–examination and repentance;
by prayer, fasting, and self–denial;
and by reading and meditating on God's Holy Word.

I continue my reflections on the Lenten Disciplines with the topic of repentance. When we think of repentance we often think of being sorry for the wrongs we have committed. During Lent we are invited to repent of our sin. Repentance might be considered synonymous with regret. Theologically, though, the meaning of repentance is much richer. My "Dictionary of Theological Terms" defines repentance this way:

The act of expressing contrition and penitence for sin. Its linguistic roots point to its theological meaning of a change of mind and life direction as a beginning step of expressing Christian faith.

In the Bible we hear the invitation to repent more than once. In the first chapter of the Gospel of Mark Jesus speaks these words, "“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” Jesus is not just asking us to feel bad for the wrong we have done. He is inviting us to change our minds and our way of life. He is inviting us to turn around and live differently. When we repent of our sins we can leave them behind!

Are there things in our life that you would like to change? Are there sins that you want to turn away from and leave behind? Are you searching for a new direction in life? Are you feeling led to repent this Lenten season? How might your life be different if you "repent and believe in the good news"?