As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, my God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When can I go and meet with God?
— Psalm 42:1-2
What is Lent?
Lent is the forty days leading up to Easter, not including Sundays (during which we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection!). For the Church, this season is a time of reflection, repentance, and renewal. Many followers of Jesus find it helpful to fast during Lent.
The season of Lent begins this week on Ash Wednesday (March 2nd).
What About Fasting?
Fasting has been misunderstood in many ways. Fasting is not:
- Proving our spiritual worth by how much we can “suffer”
- Giving up sins or bad habits (we should be giving up those things anyways)
- Trying out a new diet (going on a low-carb diet is not the same thing as fasting).
When we fast, we take a step back from a good gift of God (for example, food!) in order to seek the Giver of those gifts. When our stomachs growl from hunger, or we feel fidgety from a media fast, we are reminded that our greatest hunger should be Jesus Himself. Dr. Bill Bright of Cru (formerly Campus Crusade for Christ) offers several other wise insights into why we should fast.
Fasting must forever center on God. More than any other Discipline, fasting reveals the things that control us.
Richard Foster
Simply put, we fast so that we can make room in our hearts for more of Jesus.
Resources for Lenten Reflection
Our friends from Renew San Diego will be posting daily reflections on their Instagram. Give them a follow here: https://www.instagram.com/renewsdchurch/
The Lectio 365 app has daily prayers and reflections, with special focus on Lent. They also have an app for families. The YouVersion Bible app also features several Lenten devotionals.
Anchor & Hope Church 