"... we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. As we work together with him, we urge you also not to accept the grace of God in vain." - St Paul (2 Corinthians 5:20 - 6:1)
"I already know I’m a Christian," said a young woman to her pastor the other day. " So tell me, why do I have to be 'extra Christian' for the next forty days?"
When I was growing up Baptist in southern California, Lent was a season I heard about from Catholic, or Lutheran, friends - as they complained about the deprivations of the weeks without chocolate, candy, or gum. "What are you giving up for Lent?" was a question I did not have to entertain, and the season was a mystery I felt no need to explore. So I recognized a bit of myself with a chuckle when I overheard the snippet of conversation above. Over time I’ve come to appreciate the free invitation that is at the heart of this season in the Church year. I’ve discovered that, even after decades of being a Christian, I still have fresh sins and shortcomings to confess, new ways I’ve strayed from God’s purposes for me, and an abiding need to return and drink more deeply from the well of God’s grace through Jesus Christ.
So in recent years I have spent the first week in this season asking God to help me identify one thing to do (or not do) as a spiritual discipline, and then to help me follow through for the remainder of Lent. One year my focus was on my driving. Another year my focus was on better stewardship of my own health through regular exercise. Another year found my attention directed toward advocacy with my elected representatives on behalf of a few specific issues. By sharing these decisions quietly with a few friends, I was able to follow through (most of the time). Interestingly, I have found that these small, intentional, short term changes in behavior and discipline continue to influence how I feel, behave, and appreciate life.
If you are interested in trying this experiment, Jesus’ teaching about some of the traditional spiritual disciplines such as giving, praying, and fasting (or sacrificing) in Matthew 6:1-18 (often read on Ash Wednesday); or about what it means to be "blessed" in Matthew 5:1-11 could provide some food for thought. And then I would suggest that you share what you plan to do with one or two persons you trust, who can support you with prayer and an occasional "how is that going?"
What might you do (or not do) as a spiritual discipline, opening yourself up to a fresh experience of God’s grace, between now and Easter?
Rev. Rhonda Cushman
Updated March 1, 2009
