What it's not.
It's not Biblical. There are no stories
in the Bible of the season of Lent. No character ever said that he's
giving up something for Lent. There's no passage that says, “Thou
shalt observe Lent!”
It's also not Roman Catholic. Although
it is mostly only observed in liturgical churches, it isn't exclusive
to them.
It's not voodoo for Evangelical
Protestants to observe. No one's going to revoke your church
membership or tie you up and drop you off at the nearest Episcopal
church.
It's also not just about giving up
stuff and having someone rub ashes on your forehead. Even though that
is the only thing you may have been exposed to. It's much deeper than
that.
What it is.
I believe it is Beneficial. And I do
believe it is Biblical in the way that it is rooted in Biblical
truths. Everyone can use a seasonal reminder of self sacrifice,
giving, and prayer. In fact, it is so rooted in those truths that it
should be a lifestyle and not a seasonal observance.
It was started in the very early church
as a means to prepare early converts for baptism that would be held
on Easter Sunday. It then spread to include all believers in the
church as a way to prepare for Easter and a return to a holy life.
Evangelicals should learn to appreciate
Lent for it's true meaning. Throughout our lives we can pick
up so much stuff that really has nothing to do with serving God or
His purpose in our lives. We should look at Lent, not as a binding
Tradition, but as a reminder of where our hearts should be.
Over the next few weeks, I'm going to
be writing about Lent. You probably know about the ashes, the fasting
and eating Filet-o-Fish sandwiches. So I'll try to turn back the
clock and write about the early, deep meanings of this season. Maybe
we can re-center ourselves on Christ and deepen our appreciation of
Resurrection Sunday.
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