The Season of Lent

I was in a restaurant the other day and heard one of the women sitting at the booth behind me ask the other what she is giving up for lent. Prior to that I had not been listening to their conversation, but that caught my attention. Every year at this time we see people with ashes on their foreheads struggling to decide what they can give up for a season to show their allegiance to God. What are you giving up this year?

Many web sites of congregations that observe lent say something like this: "No one knows for sure where lent started, or why it was originally observed." You can check for yourself if you don't believe me. Every year people are fired up about giving up something that will show God they are worthy. First of all, we are not worthy regardless of what we go without for a few short weeks. Second, I've searched the scriptures and have yet to find anything to support giving up your favorite tv show for a couple of weeks to show God you care.

Despite the lack of biblical support for lent, I can find the call in the New Testament to make a sacrifice, but it is not simply for a month. GIVE UP SIN FOREVER! Jesus told those that He healed, "Go and sin no more." Paul asked the question, "Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?" He emphatically answered the question, "God forbid!" The Bible tells us "They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts (Gal. 5:24)." Throughout the New Testament the call rings out for us to stop living in sin. As we approach the season in which we commemorate the death and resurrection of Christ, I encourage you to forget about this idea of giving something for lent and give up one thing forever. Sin.