day 2601: Lent 2019

Each Lent, I like to follow the practice of “sacrifice” as part of reminding myself of the sacrifice of Christ for each of us, for me.  In the past I’ve given up somethings that are usually “good” for me to give up anyway; bread, caffeine, dessert, drink.  Patti always teases me that it’s not much of a sacrifice if it is good for me too.  Easy to say until that caffeine withdrawal sets in.  But, she is right.  So, this year, I have now spent my Sundays with a digital withdrawal.  I’ve left the phone and the laptop off and added into this the practice of Sabbath.  It sounds easy, but consider that Sunday night does not become the prep time for Monday.  Consider that those emails are sitting there, waiting.  That the scores of the games, golf tournaments have to wait until Monday to be known (well I did ask Patti this past Sunday night who won the Player’s Championship). That the unanswered texts will have to be explained on Monday. And, I’ve found over the past few weeks that there is some prep that needs to happen to withdraw.  Which may be the best learning from Lent for me.  To receive all that God wants us to give us when we rest and sacrifice in Him, we should enter that time with our own preparation.

Whatever you are practicing for this year’s Lent, if you do so, remember that Jesus’ sacrifice for us is not earned so this is not what Lent is about.  Instead, our little sacrifice is to honor Him and remind ourselves that there was no greater sacrifice EVER than what He did for you and me on the cross.