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2.19.16 Lent is Not a Diet Plan

A few weeks ago a friend came to my office prior to our prayer time. We were preparing to pray, and the subject of Lent came up. She was trying to figure out what she should give up and shared her friend’s quip: “Lent is not supposed to be a diet plan.” We laughed because of the half-truth hiding in her statement. We all know people who use Lent as an opportunity to lose a little bit of weight. As I reflected on our exchange, I realized that Christians practice Lent for different reasons. I decided that we could all benefit by re-examining the purpose of Lent so that we can enjoy a richer experience with our Lord during the Lenten season.

Photo Courtesy @ www.slcas.org

Photo Courtesy @ www.slcas.org

What is Lent?

LENT (stemming from an Anglo-Saxon word for “spring” and related to the English word “lengthen”) refers to the penitential period preceding Easter. Early Christians felt that the magnitude of Easter called for special preparation. As early as the second century, many Christians observed several days of fasting as part of that preparation. Over the next few centuries, perhaps in remembrance of Jesus’s fasting for forty days in the wilderness (Matt. 4:1–2), forty days became the accepted length of the Lenten season. Since the earliest years of Christianity, it had been considered inappropriate to fast on the day of the resurrection, so Sundays were not counted in the forty days. Thus, the Wednesday forty-six days before Easter came to be regarded as the beginning of Lent.¹

This year, Lent started on February 10th and will end on March 26th. Ash Wednesday begins Lent and represents mourning, repentance, and God’s judgment. In the Catholic churches, the priest rubs ashes in the form of a cross on worshipers’ foreheads.

Photo Courtesy @ www.gospelside.files.wordpress.com

Photo Courtesy @ www.gospelside.files.wordpress.com

 

What is the Real Meaning of Lent?

During Lent Christians remember their sinfulness, they repent, and they recognize afresh the forgiveness that comes from God in Jesus Christ alone. We recognize that God’s forgiveness for all has come at an infinite price—the death of Christ on our behalf.

Photo Courtesy @ www.cmvic.net

Photo Courtesy @ www.cmvic.net

 

Who Observes Lent?

I can think of at least three ways Christians observe Lent. Christians like me were not taught to observe all forty days of Lent, nor were we taught to give up something. Instead, we placed emphasis on Holy Week, and our church offered services throughout the week leading up to Easter. We attended luncheons and heard speakers give devotionals to help us reflect on Christ’s redemptive work on the cross. We attended Good Friday services to reflect on Christ’s crucifixion when He took our place on the cross. By Sunday, three days after the crucifixion, we celebrated the resurrection of Jesus!

Some Christians understand that Lent is a time to “give up something.” The Bible gives the example of fasting. When the Israelites honored the Day of Atonement, they fasted for the humbling of their soul (Lev 23:26-32). In modern Judaism, they practice two major fasts (The Day of Atonement and Tisha B’Av) and five minor fasts. They fast to “afflict the soul” or to “chasten the soul” (Ps 69:10).

Few people fast anymore. Instead of giving up food, they give up vices like smoking, drinking, or gossiping. Others focus on giving up Facebook, watching TV, or their mobile devices. They take part in Lent with their best understanding of what it represents.

Photo Courtesy @ www.capitalfm.co.ke

Photo Courtesy @ www.capitalfm.co.ke

One group of Christians really understands the meaning of Lent. They use the forty days leading up to Easter as an opportunity to sacrifice something that helps them draw closer to Christ. The few Christians I know who take Lent seriously grew up in the Catholic Church. Whatever they give up, they spend time in prayer every time they make the sacrifice. For example, if they are fasting, each time they miss a meal, they enter into a time of prayer. They thank God for His grace and mercy toward them. They remember how Christ sacrificed His life for them. They reflect on their need for salvation and the forgiveness of their sins. They thank God for the privilege of having an eternal love relationship with Him.

Photo Courtesy @ www.images.slideplayer.com

Photo Courtesy @ www.images.slideplayer.com

Regardless of which group we’re in, all Christians share one thing in common. We want to come before the Lord with the right motivation. We desire to prepare our hearts to celebrate Easter and all that Jesus has done for us. We want to come before God’s throne with a grateful heart. Whether we’re giving something up or not, let’s contemplate the sacrifice Christ made on our behalf. When Easter arrives, let’s celebrate Christ’s resurrection! 

How are you observing Lent? What could you do to deepen your experience of Lent this year? How would that enhance your Easter celebration?

I look forward to hearing your thoughts below.

 

Blessings,

Lee Ann

 

¹ Grissom, F. A. (2003). Lent. In C. Brand, C. Draper, A. England, S. Bond, E. R. Clendenen, & T. C. Butler (Eds.), Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (p. 1025). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.

 

1.15.16 God’s Timing is Everything

Are you pursuing a goal that you believe God has called you to do, but it just isn’t happening? Do you encounter more struggles in the process to the point you’re questioning if God called you to do it?

I am working on a non-fiction book proposal for my Living Giving vision, a book entitled Only One Life to Give. I have been working on this for almost two years now. Though I have 15,000 words written out of a 50,000-word goal, it has been a significant expenditure of time with little outcome. Many of you know I have blogged on a variety of angles to this book. I have written on giving, the importance of tithing, and God’s call to be generous givers. I have shown you pie charts and strategies to change our family’s financial tree. I have plenty of content! I have solid resources to write an effective proposal for publishers. This is not a theoretical exercise. I have been executing this Living Giving vision since 2007, and I am seeing enormous results over the last eight years. I believe God has called me to share this vision with others.

However, there is a roadblock. For publishers to take a strong interest in my proposal, my book has to “solve a problem” for many. It has to scratch the proverbial itch. I have many ideas on why I think readers should pick up a book on Living Giving, but when I read it on paper, it just seems lifeless. Of course debt is a hindrance to giving. Of course you don’t know what you don’t know when it comes to what you can achieve for your family and God’s kingdom. The Bible teaches that without a vision the people perish. Money is tight for many people, so why do they even want to think about giving? If I’m not sold on the opening, why would I expect it to excite you enough to pick it up? Is this book supposed to be more inspirational or motivational? I can do that, but most people want to read something that meets a felt need for them. I don’t have my springboard in place for the rest of my content to fall into place.

Photo Courtesy @Flickr.com/Sybren Stüvel

Photo Courtesy @Flickr.com/Sybren Stüvel

When I look at the time and money invested in this process, I struggle with whether I have been a good steward of both. Ephesians 5:15-17 says, “Be very careful, then, how you live-not as unwise, but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.” I wonder if I spent my time “wisely.” Did I waste it? Did God prefer that I redirect my zeal to write this book toward a different ministry that would have had greater impact? I don’t know. What I do know is that I don’t want to squander the gift of time if He hasn’t called me to do this.

I felt burdened by this, so I shared this scenario with a dear friend of mine. Why do I feel such a strong passion to share this vision, but can’t seem to get this off the ground? The book will flow once I have tagged the true felt need of my readers. But if God is not in this, I do not dare waste another minute on this project! I am at crossroads, and I need to discern if God supports this effort.

God must have prepared my friend’s heart in advance of my dilemma. She shared her wisdom based on similar life experiences. She said, “God has called you to write this book, but now is not the time. When it’s not in God’s timing, it’s like trying to make a square peg fit a round hole.”

No sooner did she say that, and Acts 16:6-10 came to mind. Paul knew he was called to share the gospel, but God kept redirecting him:

Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phyrgia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

Paul never questioned his calling to evangelize the world. He always obeyed God’s call, but didn’t always know the timing of when or where he was to go. His zeal first led him to share Jesus in the province of Asia, but the Holy Spirit was essentially saying not now. Then his passion led him to Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus basically communicated not now. Paul had no idea when God would allow him into those two areas, but he determined to keep moving. Paul never lost his passion for his call, but he was also accepting of God’s timing. The difference between me and Paul is that he accepted not now, and I did not!

My heart-to-heart with my friend helped me recognize that I was trying to push too hard instead of letting this happen in God’s time. The weight off of my shoulders melted away, and I have a complete peace about this process. I have a passion to share God’s vision, and I will continue to write in my journal until God’s voice becomes loud and clear. He may reveal what I need tomorrow, and it may be ten years from now. I will maintain a spirit of expectancy as I write. Meanwhile, I now accept that God’s timing is everything.

Have you ever passionately pursued a calling you believe God gave you, only to find it a continual struggle? How did you resolve it? Your thoughts and insights are welcomed below. 

 

Blessings,

Lee Ann

1.10.16 Daniel 9:20-27

Download Lesson: 1.10.16 Class Notes – Dan 9.20-27

Download New American Commentary (4 views on the 70 “sevens”): 1.10.16 New American Commentary on Four Views of Daniel’s Seventy Sevens Prophecy

 

LOOK:

God revealed the future of His chosen people in a vision to Daniel that is affirmed by Jesus in Matt 24:15. There will be an Antichrist who will appear during the Tribulation that will last seven years. All believers will be raptured by Christ so that we are protected from living during those seven years.

Do you have a saving relationship with Jesus? That’s what will matter if the Rapture occurs in our lifetime. In the meantime, we are called to share the good news of Jesus Christ with as many people as possible.

12.30.15 Why Most of Us Don’t Achieve Our Goals

According to the Statistic Brain Research Institute, only 8% of people who make New Year’s Resolutions achieve them. Why do most of us quit before we barely get started?

Photo Courtesy@Flickr.com/nadap_usnavy

Photo Courtesy@Flickr.com/nadap_usnavy

I set goals every year, but like most of you, my zeal to do them starts to fade as the months go by. Never mind that I set SMART goals, i.e. Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Forget that I calendar the sequential steps to accomplish them. I set myself up for success, but I lose my enthusiasm and don’t take action. Does that happen to you? Does it frustrate you? Let’s fix this.

I had an “aha” moment I want to share with you. I listen to podcasters like Michael Hyatt, Ray Edwards, and Aaron Walker. They are experts at goal-setting. They share their “secrets” on how to meet them. I read Start with Why by Simon Sinek two years ago to help me know my “why” behind every goal I set. But, Mr. Walker made a statement in a recent interview that grabbed my attention. He said, “Set goals that you WANT to achieve.” Aha! That may sound obvious, but it unlocks for me why most of my goals aren’t reached. The majority of my past goals were set because I thought I “should” pursue them.

Here’s the application for the lesson I learned. I trust it will be helpful to you as you set your 2016 goals. Set goals that are not driven by an underlying thought of “I should.” For example:

  1. Lose ten pounds by March 31, 2016 (because I should).
  2. Read the Bible in a year (because I should).
  3. Walk ten thousand steps a day (because I should).

Many experts add their own ideas for why most of us fail at achieving goals: no accountability, no tracking mechanism to measure the progress of goals, too many distractions in our environment, goals aren’t listed where you see them daily, etc. Those are all true. But if we WANT to complete our goals, the above reasons for failure are overcome by our strong desire to finish our goal. Nothing will stand in our way!

So, unless we WANT to lose ten pounds or WANT to read the Bible in a year, it’s not going to happen. Sinek’s suggestion to “start with why” is valuable, but to make it stick, our goals need a “why” driven by “I WANT to do this!” We can achieve the above three goals if they look something like this:

  1. Lose ten pounds by March 31, 2016 (because I WANT to look and feel good).
  2. Read the Bible in a year (because I WANT a deeper relationship with God).
  3. Walk ten thousand steps a day (because I WANT to enjoy the outdoors).

As we look toward 2016, let’s ask ourselves, “What goals do I WANT to fulfill that doesn’t have a hidden ‘should’ behind it?” Give yourself permission to pursue something you WANT to do. But if we create goals laced with “should,” then we have to muster up self-discipline and determination to keep us going.

Let’s make goal-setting fun for 2016. Let’s be honest with ourselves and make sure we know why we WANT to attain them. If you’ve already set your goals, I encourage you to restate them so that you have identified why you WANT to do them. If you set any goals grounded by “I should,” then toss them – unless you have an unlimited supply of willpower!

Are there lessons you’ve learned about goal-setting you’d like to share below? What is one goal you WANT to realize in 2016? I would love to hear one of your goals for 2016. I’ll start with a fun goal. I love jigsaw puzzles, but since my move to Austin, I haven’t put one together. I have a 6,000-piece puzzle portraying the Wedding at Cana that has been on my shelf for seven years. I need to buy a table to accommodate the dimensions of the puzzle and set it in a cat-free zone, but I WANT to do this!

May 2016 be your best year yet! 

 

Blessings,

Lee Ann

 

 

 

 

 

 

12.14.15 Would You Have Defended Two Muslim Women?

Two U.S. born Muslim women decided to have lunch at Austin’s popular Kerbey Lane Café last Sunday. Leilah dropped off her friend, Sirat. While Leilah was parking the car, Sirat stepped inside to get a table. An elderly white man inside the Café watched Leilah park the car and turned his attention to Sirat while he was waiting for his table.

“She should just go back to Saudi Arabia where she came from,” he said.

“Would you repeat what you just said?” asked Sirat.

“She should just go back to Saudi Arabia where she came from,” he repeated. “And the same goes for you,” he continued. “Do you have a gun on you? Just go ahead and shoot me,” he said.

By this time a Kerbey Lane employee seated him at a table. When Leilah and Sirat sought help from the employees about this man’s abusive words, they said there was nothing they could do. Leilah decided to approach the man, and he didn’t hold back. In front of the entire restaurant, he said the same things to her as he did to Sirat. And not one person stood up for them.

Sirat, in tears, turns to Leilah and says, “Just go. Everyone knows we were told very racist things, and this restaurant doesn’t feel the need to address it because who cares about us?” And somebody called out, ‘Nobody.’ And we left because it was true.”¹

Leilah, a Kerbey Lane Café Customer

Leilah, a Kerbey Lane Café Customer

These ladies went to Facebook to post their thoughts after being the victim of bigotry. They said, “We have never felt more dehumanized and humiliated than I did this morning.” They stated that the patrons silence was the most painful part of their experience.

Their story forced me to consider whether I would have defended them or not. Would I have been so stunned that I would have become one of the silent onlookers? What about you?

It’s obvious that tensions are rising in America. We take for granted the freedom and protection we enjoy in this country. But acts of terrorism are now too close to home, and we don’t feel the same safety in our own homeland as before. Muslim Americans, who have legally immigrated to America, are feeling increased hostility and persecution toward them. We read about radical Islamists who commit acts of terror, and we wonder if our Muslim neighbors share their ideology. It’s hard not to be prone to this kind of thinking. However, many of our Muslim American citizens are like us. They want to build a life for their families and enjoy peace and freedom. They want to make a meaningful contribution to our society through their work. They want their children to have the same opportunities to build their own future like we did.

How does our Christian faith inform us in this situation? These women experienced hostility and ill-treatment because of their race and perceived religious beliefs. Here are several passages to consider as possible applications:

Psalm 41:1 “Blessed is he who has regard for the weak.”

Psalm 72:13-14 “He will take pity on the weak and the needy and save the needy from death. He will rescue them from oppression and violence, for precious is their blood in His sight.

Psalm 82:3-4 “Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”

 

I wouldn’t classify these women as “needy or oppressed,” but I do think they were the weaker in this situation. I believe God calls us to defend the weak, but how should that have looked at the café? If anyone had made a stand for these women, would that have provoked a man who was already antagonistic? Would a defense of these women escalate the situation? What if the man was carrying a gun? I bet there were patrons who wanted to help, but didn’t know what to do. Thus, they remained silent. Unfortunately, I think I would have been one of them. I wouldn’t want to endanger others by intruding in the situation.

But remaining silent is also problematic. As Simrat Jeet Singh, an assistant professor of religion at Trinity University rightly stated:

“Not speaking against prejudice when we witness it sends the message that we do not feel strongly enough about our values to stand for them. Remaining silent sends the destructive message to perpetrators that we agree with their actions, while also telling those who are targeted that we believe they should be victimized.”²

 

If a Christian response demands that we defend these Muslim women, as they deserved, how would it have looked? I am earnestly seeking an answer because this may not be the last time a situation like this could arise. There are multiple variables to sort through. I look forward to your thoughts. You may comment below.

 

Blessings,

Lee Ann

 

¹http://www.statesman.com/news/news/local/muslim-woman-recounts-bigotry-at-kerbey-lane-cafes/npddn/ 

²http://www.mystatesman.com/news/news/opinion/singh-silence-at-kerbey-lane-speaks-volumes/npfMz/