Talking about 'Lent'

"It is a universal rule of the entire family of man, in every place and at every time, that man wants to do some great thing by which to restore himself to the favour of God." ~ Charles Spurgeon

 "Whoever wishes to be my follower must deny his very self, take up his cross each day, and follow in my steps." – Luke 9:23 

In our home there has been some discussion about 'Lent' and what it means.  How do we participate in Lent or do we participate in Lent?  I know in years past, some in our family have 'given up' something. I have gone 'without' for the 40 days in the past in observance of Lent. Today is the beginning of the Lenten Season. On FB, twitter and other social media forms, I have noticed people sharing their thoughts or even what they are giving up for Lent. It has made me ponder this practice in a more personal way. I will not take credit for the words written below. They are written by our Pastor. However, I so appreciated his perspective on Lent and wanted to share it on my blog, with permission of course. :) 

"While many people associate Lent with self-sacrifice or religious ritual, the miracle of Easter that we are going to celebrate in a little over a month is about Jesus and the freedom and life we have in him.  Lent, when properly focused should be a time of reflecting on his sacrifice for us.  Our Chrisitan life should be not about "self abasement", but about "holding fast" to Jesus (Col 2:18-19).  Our life isn't about festivals, church holidays, and elementary principles of the world, but it is about being "raised up with Christ" and is about "seeking the things above, not the things that are on earth."  It is about setting our "mind on things above, not on the things that are on earth, for we have died and our life is hidden with Christ in God."  It is about repentance and faith and hope, knowing that "when Christ, who is our life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory." (Colossians 2:20-3:4). Please, regardless of the day that it is, don't forget the words of Colossians 2:16-17: "Therefore let no one act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day--things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ." " 
~ Steve Mansour

I am praying for my own personal sacrifice this 'Lenten Season' as I prepare myself for Good Friday and ultimately Resurrection Sunday.  (Growing up my father never said "Happy Easter". It was Resurrection Sunday and he would say, "He is risen!" and we would respond, "He is risen indeed!") I am praying God will continue the process of refinement and show me more of me that needs to go and more of Him that needs to fill me up! I want to 'live, breath, and be poured out for Jesus Christ' and yet, there is much work to be done. Praising God He is not finished with me yet. Praying I can be shown what is needed to deny myself and follow Him. Praying this season of Lent will be about taking on more of Christ and being poured out to others. "Lord, take my pride and selfishness and do Thy will!" I truly wish this to not be another Easter season which comes and goes...I desire genuine change. I know there is pain and hardship in the change. I pray I am fortified and ready. He has done a work before and will again, if I am willing. "Lord, make me willing."

Praying the Lord meets you where you need to be met this Lenten season...in whatever form that takes on. Praying the people of God will rise up and be authentic and real. Praying we can come along side each other, with humility, and love with Christs love. Praying we can reach the lost with the message of grace, hope and love this Lenten season. 

“I have come to see clearly that life is more than self. It is more than doing what I want, striving for what will benefit me, dreaming of all I can be. Life is all about my relationship with God. There is no higher calling, no loftier dream, and no greater goal than to live, breathe, and be poured out for Jesus Christ."--Jamie in Brother Andrew's "The Calling”
― Brother Andrew, The Narrow Road: Stories of Those Who Walk This Road Together [With This Road CD by Jars of Clay]

words from an old hymn...
 "Make me willing to wait patiently
for the answers I’ve prayed for so long.
Make me willing to listen to Thee
and to say “not my will, but Thine be done”.
Make me willing to thank Thee for tears
And for the heartaches that cause me to pray.
Will you make me a vessel the Master can use
Keep me willing the rest of my days.

My Father points the way to go
Then makes the way for me.
He tells me I must trust in Him
My faith will help me see.
The road may not be easy
The testing will be great
But then my Lord reminds me
That He will help me wait."

Perfection is reserved for our eternal home.

"Humility is perfect quietness of heart, It is to expect nothing, to wonder at nothing that is done to me, to feel nothing done against me. It is to be at rest when nobody praises me, and when I am blamed or despised. It is to have a blessed home in the Lord, where I can go in and shut the door, and kneel to my Father in secret, and am at peace as in a deep sea of calmness, when all around and above is trouble"

- Andrew Murray

Feeling as if I am getting some good kicks to humble myself and then more kicks while I am down. Funny thing about feeling low. How does one handle the lessons of humility? With humility? :-/ 

The quote above by Murray is a 'kick' to myself and my pride. I struggle to 'feel nothing done to me' or to 'be at rest when nobody praises me, and [feel nothing] when I am blamed or despised.'  I have had times when I have been really low, as in humbled. And then there have been times when I have been blinded by my own self-control and pride to see the lesson in front of me.

Recently I feel God is doing another major refinement in my heart, soul, and life. He is using several situations to reveal my heart, my motives, my thoughts and ultimately my sin. It stings! "Lord, why must we feel we have come to a good place only to be knocked down and see our selves for who we really are?"  "Lord, why is perfection reserved for our eternal home?" 

I know all the answers to the questions I ask. And scripture provides the answers to the questions I ask. But are these not questions we ask when we have been knocked down/humbled over and over? Am I the only one? 

"When pride comes, then comes dishonor, but with the humble comes wisdom."  

 Prov. 11:2  

"But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, 'God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.' Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you." James 4:6-7

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you."  

1 Pet. 5:6-7  

God's Word is clear about pride and humility. The James passage follows up the pride verse with a 'submit therefore to God' and a 'resist the devil'. Funny how our submitting to God brings us to a place of humility and how the devil is involved in our pride. Self-control or being in control sneaks up on me (us). I sometimes do not even see it coming. It is kinda like a self sufficiency thing for me. Ultimately, Satan tells me I have it all under my own control and I do not need anyone, especially God. I do not really hear those words or even say them, but my life will 'live this out' and then the pride sets in. The 1 Peter passage tells me to 'humble' myself 'under the mighty hand of God' and He will 'exalt' me at the proper time. This tells me God's mighty hand (the stuff that kicks me down to the place of humility) is purposeful and planned. Sigh... 

Those of us who are strong and secure in who we are could be weak and insecure sometimes, but we do a good job of controlling the outward look. Where is the balance? Can we be strong but weak? I am working through this balance. God is taking me through this time of refinement to humble me, yes, absolutely! However, I am searching for the balance of being 'who' God made me in my temperament and character AND living humbly with honesty, realness and vulnerability. Wondering about the balance of His creation in ME and showing HIM to those around me? I am not outwardly weak. However this comes across to others as needing no one and even prideful or not allowing God to meet me where he is needed. Ouch!

Praying I can learn and grow from the humbling 'kicks'.  

Trusting in a God who is in control. 

Looking for the balance. 

Praying for His perfect balance for me and knowing all the more...

'Perfection is reserved for our eternal home.' Come Lord Jesus, come!  

"If you believe in a God who controls the big things, you have to believe in a God who controls the little things.  It is we, of course, to whom things look "little" or "big."
Elisabeth Elliot