I didn’t grow up in a church that emphasized Lent. It was later in my adult years that I began to research and consider Lent as part of my spiritual discipline. According to Wikipedia, “Lent (Latin: Quadragesima, ‘Fortieth’) is a solemn religious observance in the Christian liturgical calendar that begins on Ash Wednesday and ends approximately six weeks later, before Easter Sunday. 

The purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer for Easter through prayer, doing penance, repentance of sins, almsgiving, and self-denial. This event is observed in the Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Lutheran, Methodist, and Catholic Churches. Some Anabaptist and evangelical churches also observe the Lenten season. Its institutional purpose is heightened in the annual commemoration of Holy Week, marking the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, which recalls the tradition and events of the New Testament beginning on Palm Sunday, further climaxing on Jesus’ crucifixion on Good Friday, which ultimately culminates in the joyful celebration on Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.”

I noticed several television personalities wore the smear of ashes on their forehead on Wednesday of this week. Their public declaration of their faith made me smile in a world of religious persecution. What better way to share your faith than to put ashes on your perfect television face and your picture-perfect hair? 

Let’s look at the five concepts of Lent. First concept to be included in Lent is prayer. Forty days of concentrated prayer and petition is a very good thing. We often multi-task our prayer lives, praying while we drive or shower, as we eat or do other things. I personally feel that is OK, but it should not be our only communication God Almighty! He deserves our undivided attention and admiration. Lent is a good season to adjust our multi-tasking into a serious, set apart time with God. Jesus did in the New Testament. After a long day of travel and ministry, he would go off by himself to pray and commune with God the Father. I always say, “If it’s good enough for Jesus, it’s good enough for me!”

Secondly, the concept of penance is part of the Lent season. Penance is a voluntary self-punishment inflicted as an outward expression of repentance for having done wrong. It could be a public apology for something said or done that was hurtful or it could be fasting for a season as a punishment for walking in the flesh. Fasting a specific item like desserts for forty days or a specific joy like watching movies or television can also be an act of penance. 

Repentance of sins is a cornerstone of the Lent season. Repentance means to “change direction” or “change your mind.” Lent presents a time period to change habits that a hurtful and to reevaluate one’s lifestyle choices. Sin means “to miss the mark” for your life. As an archer aims for the bullseye, so we should aim for the center of God’s will in our lives. To miss the bullseye is to sin or miss the mark.  

The fourth concept of Lent is almsgiving. Historically, almsgiving meant giving money or food to the poor. There are many examples in the Bible of almsgiving. In the book of Acts 10:2 NKJV Cornelius was described as “A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God always.” Almsgiving was one of the characteristics of the man used by God to open the door of salvation to the Gentiles. Taking care of the poor is important to our spiritual health and can identify us to God as a dedicated Christian. 

And finally, self-denial is the fifth foundational concept of Lent. Oh, how hard this one is because we live in a “selfie world.” We patronize our flesh and misplace the understanding of self-worth with entitlement. Self-denial is simply when you say willing, “I want it but I’m not going to get it.” Deny your flesh through fasting, not spending money you don’t have, or by saying “No” to anything you crave.

You are probably thinking “I’m not sure Lent is for me” or “thank goodness this happens only once a year.” But, how much better off would we be physically, emotionally and spiritually if we join the hundreds of thousands of Christians around the world who are participating in Lent from Wednesday, March 6 through April 20, 2019? I challenge you to consider what might happen in your life if you did!