Lent.

Lent is something I've never really understood. I mean I sort of know the basics but never really realised the reason behind it all. I knew the tradition and religion behind this time of year, but I've never engaged with it. So over the past couple of days I have thought and researched Lent. I've come to learn that Lent is basically a time of preparation before we bow before Jesus in rememberance of the great love He displayed to us the day He gave His life for us. The reason it is 40 days is because it is based on the time that Jesus spent in the wilderness being tempted by Satan for 40 days. (Matthew 4:1-11) There are so many things that blow me away when I read this passage. First of all I can see Jesus' complete humanity. He was hungry, He was indeed tempted but He never followed through. Jesus quotes scripture in order to avoid falling into temptation...something I for sure need to learn to do!

The first day of Lent is today- Ash Wednesday. This usually marks the day when we give up something that we love, or that we couldn't see ourselves living without. But does anyone really even know why we do this? I can safely say that I had no idea until I went looking for the answer. The reason for this 40 day period we call lent is to refocus our lives. It helps us to look beneath the surface of our everyday life and remember the reason why we do what we do. This period of time is for me to focus on the act that has changed my life forever.

My Saviour dying on the cross for me.

Lent is more than just giving up things. Its a time to die to one's self. Lent is the time to remove the things that have taken the place of God's love throughout the year. All of the things listed in the picture above are things that many of us love and they are good things but its when the love of these things consume us thats when it becomes a problem. Lent is a season in which we practice giving up something important in order to refocus our lives on God. By fasting from certain things, we practice dying to ourselves. And by refocusing our lives, living to God, we intentionally choose things that help us become the kind of people God desires us to be.

What I am finding so exciting about Lent is this Lent Calendar that I came across today (on facebook how ironic?!) It is from Mars Hill- Rob Bell's church. What I love about this calendar is that it allows me to experience lent by doing something everyday alongside a study. So as well as praying, reflecting, refocusing and studying God's word over this time I can do something too. There are loads of random acts of kindness throughtout this calendar. Some of them scare me and will take a lot of prayer to get me to do them. But its the oppurtunity to take risks in my everyday life, with Jesus. And I just love that. Today's experience was to paint a cross on my forehead for Ash Wednesday...admittedly I didn't do this one. The main reason being that because I'm currently sick I'm only in the house so what would be the point. (Having said that I probably wouldn't have done it anyway). But instead I am going to talk to God about my sin and ask for His forgiveness. Tomorrow is 'Don't text today- just call' there are so many amazing things on this little chart that could spark so many questions. I have the oppurtunity to touch random strangers and people who are close to my heart. I just love that! I'm really excited to do this. Alongside this experiential calendar is a lent study on Jonah which I've printed out and excited to get stuck into. I'm excited to see what God teaches me through this!

I would encourage you to fast from something this Lent, but before you do think of the reason why you're doing it! I'm sure I will blog again as I go through the calendar and I know I will be surprised by how God works through this!

Read more about lent&lent calendar check this out: http://tobeuncommon.blogspot.com/