Lent

Last night in my Ash Wednesday sermon I talked about the great paradox of Lent. It is odd that we are called to physical disciplines in observance of the season, fasting, self-denial and the like on the same night that we are told we are dust and to dust we shall return. Why bother with the life of the body if we acknowledge that it is all passing away anyway? The answer to this riddle is provided in the incarnation of Jesus. In taking on flesh God tells us that the life in the body matters immensely and can have extraordinary impact on the world if that body life is a Spirit-filled life.

In order to have a Spirit-filled life requires work to empty out the wrong spirit, that spirit of rebellion which we call the sin nature that desires to be in charge rather than under authority. We need a period of self-examination rooted in the Word of God which we are also called to read and meditate upon in this Lenten season. Lent in some ways asks the question, "Who's in charge here?" Over the past year or so of working out my body regularly for the first time in about 15 years, I have been paying the price for neglecting to ask and answer that question for too long. In this past year I have seen also the benefit of taking charge and caring for my body in increased stamina and the ability to do much more than I could a year ago. In the process I have realized that passivity towards the body isn't a zero-sum game, my body has a mind of its own tending to gluttony and laziness. The same is true of our hearts and minds if we neglect their discipline, just different results, greed, covetousness, envy, jealousy and the the like.

We get only one chance at this life, and when it is done we return to dust, who's in charge here is an important question with eternal significance. Do we want our lives to matter? If the answer is yes, the journey to significance could begin this Lent.