The Next Big Thing...

 

I love looking forward to something. A deadline reached, vacations, the next time my grandchildren will be on my lap, our kids all together, the end of a diet. But a top favorite is preparing for sacred holidays; intentional time spent in anticipation.

This is not news for those of you who have been reading around here for a while. It seems I've become the poster child for heralding the news when the next big thing on the holiday calendar is almost here. This is my job, and I love it!

Christmas is in the rearview mirror (sniff!), so Easter is on the horizon. 

Arguably the most important holiday in the life of a Jesus-follower, without Easter, there'd be nothing to hang our hat on regarding our faith and what we believe. It's a biggie.

Clearly our commemoration of the cornerstone of the Christian faith – the death and resurrection of King Jesus, our Savior - could (and should) this be the new most wonderful time of the year? Both holidays focus on Jesus and matter to our annual rhythm of life.  

During Advent, we watch for His comings to earth (the first 2000 years ago, the 2nd date TBD). During Lent, we walk the footsteps of Jesus to the cross of suffering all the way to the empty tomb. He is risen, hallelujah!

The true Gospel story is brimming with miracles and prophecies fulfilled which must never become humdrum or yada yada yada or less than awe-inspiring.

That said, doesn’t it deserve more than one Easter morning worship gathering and possibly a Good Friday service if we don’t get a better offer?  

Let’s back up a second before we buy a new Spring dress or plan an Easter egg hunt.

For Christians who are paying attention to the Church Calendar, we are about to move from Ordinary Time to Lent. 

To skip Lent and jump right into Easter is missing depth and richness leading up to the Big Day.

Like Advent (my 2nd favorite sacred holiday), Lent is a time to open the doors of our hearts a little wider and understand our Lord a little deeper, so that when Good Friday and eventually Sunday comes, it is not just another day at church, albeit an exciting one bursting with pastel colors and Spring flowers.

Unlike Advent, characterized by anticipation and eventual abundance, Lent is a more solemn season, meant to be like lament – to feel or express sorrow or regret for; to mourn over. One can't appreciate the light and the miracle of resurrection (new life!) without spending a significant amount of time remembering the dark side, the sin, the pain, the rejection, the suffering, the death.

Did you realize the majority of the Psalms are laments? It's important to give lamenting time to do its work in us.

Maybe consider practicing Lent a form of spiritual housekeeping: 

Praying (drawing close to God)
Fasting (denying self for a spiritual purpose)
Giving (to the poor what we don’t need)

If you want seasonal heart transformation and to present God with pure, meaningful worship on Resurrection Sunday, it must cost you something. All spiritual growth does. 

I guess you could consider this my annual invitation for you to open your calendar and heart a little wider. To approach Easter - the holiday that sets Christians apart - by entering a 40-day journey with Jesus on His path of suffering and death to purchase our salvation with an empty tomb. This is the stuff!

This could look like many things.  (more ideas below)

• Focused Bible readings.  Start with any Gospel. That's where the story picks up. In addition, there is no shortage of printed and digital devotional guides that will lead you to a heightened awareness of sin, repentance and appreciation. 
• Fasting from something you will truly miss daily (not something you hate, but something you love and think you can't live without - go big or go home!); denying yourself a pleasure (when you miss it, you trade that desire for prayer).
• Giving to the poor. Purging our souls of sin and self, also emptying our home of excess. What can we give away to benefit another (both money and stuff)?

If you've never done anything like this and are willing to experiment, I'm excited for you. You are in for a treat. It might hurt a little, but you won't regret your effort.

We can do this. We need to do this. When we decrease (fast), Jesus will increase, and our focus become sharper (any other 50+somethings out there need some clarity?).

Living Lent is not simply a religious ritual. It's so much better - this is about relationship, relationship, relationship. God wants more of us and the attention we give to sacred holidays is an outward sign of how much we give to Him. It matters. Our efforts will not be wasted.

Trust me, forty days of attentiveness to the cross of Jesus, His earthly ministry and words spoken WILL elevate your Easter Sunday celebration (what Easter bunny?) – and transform you too.  That, my friend, will surprise you the most. Don't miss it!

When you hit the final stretch - Holy Week - you are going to have so much to share with those around you regarding what you've experienced. How real and present God is. How sinful and helpless we are without Him. How mighty and loving Jesus is. 

And that's part of the point - spiritual growth and celebrating sacred holidays is never just for us, it's meant to be shared. It simply must be, or how will they know?

Then finally, when Resurrection Day comes, and Eastertide begins (50 days of Easter! More on that later), we will gather at church, and we will sing "Up from the Grave He Arose", "He's Alive", and all the other Easter songs with gusto! 

Let’s look forward to that day together.

Ash Wednesday, March 5, is day one. Plenty of time to be ready to begin.

Equally stimulating ideas:

Scour your playlists and listen only to faith-based songs. So many Easter selections to choose from (Hello Andrew Peterson's Resurrection Letters). Try Music Inspired by The Story too - gold!

Add a spiritual practice: memorize Bible passages, set specific prayer times and lengths, silence and solitude, prayer walking

Fast from: food, drink, media, headlines, criticism, shame

Pro tip: push through the first few days - they are the hardest! And take Sundays off for Sabbath rest.