In the Christian calendar, March 3rd is Ash Wednesday. The 40 days that follow are known as Lent. Remember, in the Old Testament, the Hebrews spent 40 years in the wilderness after their Exodus from Egypt. After Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, he also spent 40 days in the wilderness. What is wilderness? It is a time of testing, relying on God’s strength.
Psalm 95:8 states, “If today you hear my voice, hark, not your hearts.” Psalm 119:11 reads, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” As disciples of Christ, we are on a pilgrimage toward heaven. Your journey may have started recently or years ago, but do you live life in a Christ-like manner? The hymn “God be in my hand….” instructs us to think like Christ, talk like Christ, and act like Christ. Lent is a time of spiritual alignment, similar to how your car needs realignment.
What does Lent stand for? I thought of L=lose, E=every, N=negative, and T=thought. (Lose every negative thought). You can measure your spiritual prayer by comparing the fruit of the Holy Spirit with your life. For example, do you have patience rather than being angry? Do you have worry versus peace?
Some spiritual disciplines may train you to develop habits to listen to and obey God: silence, soleness, fasting, prayer, reading scripture, and Sabbath rest.
Silence – Instead of playing music while driving, use silence in the car to pray. When in conversation, it is a good practice to let an idea sit in silence before impulsively responding.
Soleness – Go outside to discover God’s nature and think about the galaxy.
Fasting – Refrain from consuming media for part or all of the day.
Prayer – Spend time with God, our Father, each day, to thank Him for his many benefits.
Reading Scripture – Read some scripture and ask the Holy Spirit to help you apply it, for example, the Psalms or Proverbs. Meditate or think on that scripture throughout your day of the week.
Sabbath Rest – God has commanded his people to rest on the Sabbath. Set a portion of a day/ afternoon/ evening to devote to God.
May these disciplines encourage you in your walk with God this Lent.
Mary Bludnicki