Time to Rethink Lent

 
Christians need to re-think Lent. To most people, all this talk about self-denial and fasting is like the talking about astrophysics or nanotechnology. It makes sense to some people, but most people just politely nod their heads and then live their lives as they had before.
 
 
 
Don’t get me wrong; the Season of Lent is an important time within the life of the church. We do need to be reminded that we are “dust and to dust we shall return.” We do need to be reminded to spend more time in prayer. We need to be encouraged to fast. But these are the tools of Lent, not the purpose of Lent.
 
The fundamental purpose of Lent is to open us up to God’s activity in our lives. All of the tools of Lent are designed to make us more receptive to the grace of God. The purpose of Lent is not to be spiritually beaten down; the purpose of Lent is to put ourselves in a place where God’s grace can move in us in new and deeper ways.
 
I’m convinced that all of the pain we feel as individuals and as the human race is the result of being out of sync with God. God has designed the world, and human beings specifically, to live in a love relationship with God. When our relationship with God is not what it should be our lives will be less than they should be. The season of Lent is designed to help us become more in sync with God and God’s purposes.
 
As a congregation, we will use the book “Restored” by Tom Berlin during the season of Lent to help us examine what it means to be in sync with God. We will use this book as the basis of our sermons during Lent as well as a church-wide small group study.
 
Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, which this year is, March 6. We will start the all-church study in worship on Sunday, March 10. Small groups will discuss Sunday’s topic and watch related videos following each Sunday. Books are available for purchase at the church.
 
I hope you will join us on this Lenten journey, both in worship and in a small group, as we look at sin, grace and forgiveness. Together, we will discover that there is hope; transformation is possible. We can become more of who God created us to be.
 
— Jay
 
 
 
 

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