Can Our Lenten Experience Be a
Transforming One?
Read:
Matthew 4:1-11
As
those who bear the name of Christ, we Christians have a natural
desire to study the life and ministry of Jesus so that we may pattern
our lives after his, thus carrying on the work that he began in a
time long past. His astonishing Earthly ministry was prepared for by
a period of fasting and prayer in the wilderness that lasted forty
days (a number thought to signify completion). The Lenten season,
which we can use as a period of intense focus on our spiritual lives,
corresponds to the number of days Jesus spent apart (and Moses and
Elijah in their wilderness experiences, as well).
Fasting,
in various ways and to different degrees, has for centuries been a
Lenten practice for many Christians. I recall as a child some of my
classmates asking one another: “What are you giving up for Lent?”
(a practice usually prescribed by their faith). What was given up was
always something appealing (a favorite food was a prime example). It
went without saying that this was just a temporary “doing without.”
Life would soon enough return to normal, with no permanent damage
done – and no permanent change, either. Mardi Gras (“Fat
Tuesday”) and a certain highly-sought-after doughnut allow a
celebratory indulgence before a Lenten fast begins – a fast
sometimes held to, misunderstood, or barely undertaken at all. To put
aside a few favorite foods for a time may prove interesting if we
come to realize that we can live happily without them. Items given up
usually relate to the senses and appetites of the body.
Another
approach to a Lenten fast would prove far more valuable and have a
lasting, transformative effect: the setting aside of unhealthy and
unhelpful thinking. The unholy thoughts that we entertain do not
reflect the holiness of the Mind of God, out of which we were
created. Mind-wandering and a lack of mental discipline hinder our
spiritual advance, both personally and as the larger human family.
The concept of “idle thoughts” is contradictory if all thought
has power. They either align with God’s truth or further the world
of our own making, far from where God would have us be.
According
to Matthew’s account, Jesus was thrice tempted in the wilderness,
turning away from materialism, the winning of people by a spectacular
display, and becoming a political / military figure. Through days of
concentrated prayer, Jesus emerged with a clear vision for his
ministry. After overcoming temptation, he quoted scripture in a
decisive statement: “Worship the Lord, your God, and serve only
Him.”
If
Christ appeared to us in majesty and glory and asked us to take our
place among the saviors of the world, how would we respond? Would we
choose the strength of Spirit within us or allow our weakness seen
apart from Spirit to direct our thoughts and actions? As we walk the
face of the Earth, we are presented with opportunity after
opportunity to bring the gifts of God to those who hunger for them
consciously or unconsciously. Until we waken and come to our senses,
we have the freedom to choose which master we serve. But we cannot
serve two, as the Bible says. Our tolerance for pain is great, but
not without limit. The world is hurting and, therefore, so are we.
Why, then, would we delay? Jesus’ faith in us, however, is not
misplaced. He knows our essential nature intimately, for he knows the
Source out of which we were brought into being.
So
let us use these Lenten days wisely and begin to open our minds to
the new age Jesus introduced. And whenever we falter, let us take
heart and remind ourselves and each other of Jesus’ words: “Be
assured, I am with you always, to the end of time.”
Doug
Dykstra
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