What is Lent, Anyway?

To understand Lent, we first need to look at Easter.

For Christians, the resurrection of Jesus is the most important thing that ever happened, and Easter is our yearly reminder that Jesus really was raised from the dead. This belief raises an important question. What does Jesus’ resurrection mean, and what does it mean to me?

Lent is the 40-day period before Easter devoted to that question and others like it. To believe in the resurrection of Jesus and to celebrate Easter without reflecting on what it means is an exercise in missing the point. Lent is a time to reflect on the meaning of what is central to our faith.  We do this during the rest of the year too, of course, but this is a special time set aside for that.

So what does this mean, practically speaking?

Lent is a time for reading Scripture and mulling over what Jesus’ cross means.

Because Jesus died for our sins, Lent is a time for prayer, self-evaluation, and confession. It is a time for repentance—or, in other words, God-inspired life change.

For many, Lent is a time for spiritual disciplines such as fasting or going on retreats. These spiritual disciplines are not about making God like us more. Rather, they are things we can do that help us know God better and pay attention to Him.

Lent is not about being super spiritual; it’s about offering the risen Jesus the hospitality of our heart.

Suggestions for Lent

1. Set aside two or three hours one day and read the Gospel of Mark in one sitting.
2. Read the Gospel of John or the Gospel of Matthew. Or, read the Gospel of Luke and then Acts.
3. Read prayerfully Jesus’ “Sermon on the Mount,” Matthew 5-7.
4. Read some of Paul’s letters in the Bible, such as Galatians, Philippians and Romans.
5. Read some of the Old Testament history books, like 1 & 2 Samuel and 1 & 2 Kings.
6. Set aside five minutes first thing in the morning and last thing at night for prayer. If you run out of things to say, sit silently in the presence of God—He’s there!
7. Read a Psalm (or two) a day, and make it into a prayer.
8. Try fasting, but go easy on yourself if you’ve never done it before; skip a meal one day a week,  give up desserts, or Find ways to love and serve those around you, and do so consistently.
9. Identify someone who is discouraged and make a point of encouraging them.
10. Go out of your way to make people smile. 
11. Try one of the following books:

• “My Heart, Christ’s Home,” by Robert Munger
• “He Loves Me! Learning to Live in the Father’s Affection,” by Wayne Jacobsen
• “The Return of the Prodigal Son,” by Henri Nouwen
• Anything by C.S. Lewis (i.e., “Mere Christianity,” “The Great Divorce,” “The Problem of Pain,” or “The Screwtape Letters.”