Lent Longings

This is the very first time that I have really even thought of Lent, much less participated in it. I have heard of it for years, but never really knew much about it. This year a precious friend of mine got me to thinking about it. After that, I then read several other blogs on lent and realized what an amazing time it is in the Christian's life.

So this year I jumped in head long, and decided to partcipate in the Lent season. I am including links to the blogs which gave me such great insight on this season, as many people don't know the significance of it. And instead of me butchering it, and getting it all wrong, I am simply going to point you in the direction of a much wiser woman who knows her Lent.... hehe

The first link is on how lent can be evangelical. http://upsidedownbee.blogspot.com/2009/02/can-lent-be-evangelical.html

The second one explains more about what lent is int he Christian calendar. Both are very worth your time to read.

http://upsidedownbee.blogspot.com/2009/02/fat-tuesday-ash-wednesday-lent.html

So after reading several blogs and getting my head straight about what Lent is all about, I dove in. I had to realize, that like fasting, I am not giving things up in order to get something from God. I am not sacrificing so that He will bless me, because we all know that God's blessings don't rest on our sacrifices and attempts at holy living. For me, and no I'm not going to tell you what I am giving up, because that is between me and the Lord... but for me, it's a refocusing time. One particular line in one of those blogs above really struck me, as she expresses that it is a time of "coming to our senses" as the prodigal son came to his senses while he was feeding with the pigs. It is an attempt to refocus my mind and heart toward the Lord...to give up all the vain things that charm me most, that so easily distract, that waste my time, that have an unecessary hold on my heart...to let go of those things in order to turn my eyes toward the Lord and who He is in my life.

I will have to say this will not be easy, and I feel it will be a day to day battle between my Spirit and my self will. Although today, being my first day into Lent, it has been actually more refreshing than a battle. It has felt as if I have cut strings off that tie me to this life and tie me to other things that should not take presidence over the Lord.

I will continue to pray that the Lord will use this time to refocus my life, heart and mind on Him. I pray He'll turn my eyes and face toward Jerusalem, toward His throne, His cross, and His love. I pray that He will rip away spiritual bonds that have a foot hold in me, and that He will free me to live in His love abundantly. I pray that He will work as I seek His face during this time. I pray that this season of Lent will be a time where the Lord is set back in His rightful place in my heart, as my deepest longing and desire.