Wednesday Goodness.

I love lent! I realize that sounds macabre’. I don’t love the reason for lent- the fact that Jesus had to die for me. But I love that He did! And I love that He went through all the pain and suffering that I would be spared the same fate. That’s a love that cannot be explained, and to take 6 weeks in commemoration of it… that’s awesome. But there’s more to the season that I love. I love the hymns. Good Lutheran minor-keyed hymns. O Sacred Head and What Wondrous Love Is This and Stricken, Smitten, and Afflicted… goosebumps. Of course the food before church is awesome, and the sermons are usually pretty raw and without frills. Wednesday night Lenten services are not to be missed.
I remember going around to all the different churches with my dad when he swapped pulpits with the pastors in the area. He preached the same sermon week after week and I heard it over and over. I had it memorized by the end. I loved going to the old Emmanuel Lutheran and finding all the nooks and crannies in the antiquated, regal building. Good times and great memories on the road with my pops.
But I think I love the timing of it the most. Lent in Minnesota is perfect. It typically starts in February. We are saddled with the grim reality of Christ’s passion; his suffering and torment and death for us. It’s the coldest, nastiest, dog-days of winter and we’re inside a chilly church focusing on our Saviors ascent to the cross. The windows are dark and the air outside is sharp and cutting. Each week more and more ominous inside church as we get closer and closer to the cross, but in a wonderful paradox outside the weather is getting nicer and nicer. Good Friday comes and the darkest of nights in the Church Year is actually kind of pretty outside. The sun is just setting as you go in for an early Tenebrae. And then, Easter Sunday comes and the cold snow and dark-at-5pm days are a mere memory as spring is in full swing. Truly (and I know I use this phrase too oft, but I just love it so much) everything sad has come untrue with the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus!
I love how Lent is a journey. I love how Lent in Minnesota is not just something you experience in church for an hour mid-week; rather you live it in everyday life. As the winter chill gives way to blissful springtime warmth, so to the bitter cold of death completely loses its sting in the warm, bright shining of the Son who rose triumphantly on Easter morn.
I also love cheap fish sandwiches at McDonald’s… but that’s beside the point…

Lots of people give stuff up for Lent. I joked I was going to give up being awesome this year, but that proved to be difficult. (Apparently instead I gave up humility) Someone whom I greatly respect gave up Facebook for Lent last year which is truly a testament to willpower and self-control. I couldn’t do it.
My man Jason Gray wrote a cool diddy about the tradition HERE.
I’m going give up trying to think of something to give up for Lent. I know that seems like a cheeky cop out, but it’s not. The practice, to me, is our way of saying Jesus’ work on the cross wasn’t good enough so I’m going to emulate His suffering by eliminating something I enjoy as I think about His death. That’s goofy. Jesus’ death and resurrection once and for all sealed our sins as forgiven and our citizenship that of Paradise. Nothing I do can in any way contribute to that saving work nor can begin to imitate it.
God’s will was for His Son to die in our stead. It’s a painful thought to think that our Creator had to endure such horrible torture in order for me to be saved, but it is reality, thanks be to God! I have this need to 1-know God’s will, and 2- help Him make it better. This needs to stop. Not just for Lent, but forever. I need to let God be God and I need to focus on being his servant and ambassador. Giving up red meat on Fridays or caffeine or what have you will in no way add to the salvation Jesus won for me on Calvary. So I’m not going to give anything up. In fact, I am going to strive to live even more abundantly -drowning in God’s grace and fully consumed by His mercy…
As Lent is a journey, so too is life. May my life’s journey be filled with the motivation fully reflect the love that we see hanging on the cross in everything I think, say, and do.