So Much for that Plan

I was going to make blogging my Lenten discipline. Normally, I'm not a proponent of giving up or taking on anything extra for Lent. In my experience, giving something up makes me focus on myself and my misery--because if you're going to give something up, you need to make it something you'll actually miss, right? And I don't think me whining and complaining about how I'm doing without is quite the point of Lent. Additionally, I'm not entirely sure how my going without chocolate, or coffee, or dropping the f-bomb for 40 days comes even CLOSE to comparing to the suffering of Jesus on the cross--which is the reason people gave me when I would ask, "Now, WHY do I have to give something up again?" "So we'll know how hard it was for Jesus to give up his life for us." Oh. OK.

Taking things on during Lent? Why? Are you not busy enough the other 46 weeks of the year? Do you have TIME to take something on, and take it on well? Because if you're doing this for Jesus, you better make sure you're doing it well, or don't bother. He's a first fruits or a no fruits kind of guy.

That's not to say that I'm against dropping bad or destructive behaviors, or taking on something that will improve your life, or the life of your family. I just don't think Jesus needed to die in order for us to do those things, and it's silly to link the two. If you want to stop using the f*bomb: STOP IT. If you want to start reading the Bible more: READ IT.

This year for Lent I'm giving up exercise, and taking on hitting the snooze bar at least three times before getting out of bed. I know I've suceeded in these things in the past, so I feel confident I'm not setting myself up for failure.

So. Since I'm mercilessly mocking a treasured spiritual discipline for millions of Christians the world over, I may as well tell you what I DO think is important about Lent. It's this:

It's the way Jesus shows up in the most unexpected places. This cross is formed by a street sign across the highway from my church. It's a lamp post with a sign on the front of it. I first saw this cross about a year ago, one morning while rushing into the sanctuary. I immediately started looking to see what part of our building could cast a cross that big, clear across the high way. I went outside, looking to see if we have a cross on top of our building (we don't). I looked to see if we had a cross somewhere outside that someone had recently put up or I hadn't noticed before (there wasn't). I finally realized that the church had absolutely NOTHING to do with the cross on the wall across the highway.  But there it was, possibly impacting more people as they zoomed past than our huge, ark-like sanctuary located just on the other side of the intersection.

I think THIS is what Lent is about. Not giving up or taking on. But understanding that God in Christ Jesus is setting out to do something new. Something different. It's not going to be what or where we expect. We can't put him in a box and label him. He is constantly breaking out, turning himself loose on the world, impacting them in ways they aren't looking for, being found in places they didn't expect to find him. We, as "the holy catholic and apostolic Church" have no claim on him. We are not the gatekeepers. We don't get to decide who's in and who's out. God doesn't work that way. He comes as a baby, he comes as a carpenter, he comes promising eternal life, only to die. If you look for him where you expect to find him: you'll be disappointed.

So my challenge to you this Lenten season is not to seek what you can give up our take on that will make you understand Jesus. Instead, I challenge you to pray, and ask God where he wants you to be His...out in the world. That's what Lent is about. Not about me, and my sacrificial abilities. But knowing what God has done in the past, and looking forward with great anticipation to what's up His sleeve next.