Lent or not to Lent....that is the question

Ahhh Fat Tuesday. Today some areas on campus were hopping with jazz music and bead throwing. Mardi Gras is upon us. This only means one thing....well..it could mean a lot of things, but it at least means this: Ash Wednesday is tomorrow, thus the beginning of lent.

I have to admit, I do not know much about lent or its history. I only know a poor man's version from some superficial reading and conversations about the topic. In a nutshell, you fast and pray from Ash Wednesday until the Saturday before Easter, April 7th this year, excluding the Sunday's reserved for celebration of the resurrection of Christ. You are then left with 40 days. 40 has such significance in the Bible...40 days by Moses and Elijah in the wilderness, 40 days/nights for Noah, 40 years of desert wandering in Exodus, and 40 days spent in temptation by Jesus himself. So we too can share in this 40 day symbolism by fasting for 40 days.

Now...what to fast from.

I have seen a bit of it all when it comes to fasting for lent. I have seen friends fast from chocolate, video games, fast food, golfing, cursing, driving, shopping, and eating altogether. Which to me, begs the question...why are we fasting?

Have I participated in these noteworthy fasts....yes...just a few years back I fasted from fast food myself. But why? What was I accomplishing by fasting from this? Some may state that I maintained better health, however, I can assure you I did not. Instead of fries at McDonald's I substitued fries from Applebees...and spent more money in the process. But, I stuck to my guns...and got by on my Applebees fries.

I say all this to make a point. Lent, by its origin is a time where we suffer or fast from something to honor God and give him proper reverance. So, how was I honoring God by chomping down my fries...yet maintain my adherence to my fast food fast. Quite frankly, all I feel like I was honoring was my commitment to abstain from fast food...not God. Which begs the question what kind of fast for lent brings God honor?

Before I unpack all this let me make this statement. In NO way am I slamming tradition, any religious group, or fasting here. I have the upmost respect for individuals who are devoted and committed to their faith and/or traditions. I celebrate traditions all the time myself. All I am doing is hopefully providing a new framework and direction for actions to accompany fasting.

Now...let's journey.

Check out Isaiah 58. (I shall even copy and paste it in here to create the longest blog known to man!)

“Shout with the voice of a trumpet blast.
Shout aloud! Don’t be timid.
Tell my people Israel of their sins!
2 Yet they act so pious!
They come to the Temple every day
and seem delighted to learn all about me.
They act like a righteous nation
that would never abandon the laws of its God.
They ask me to take action on their behalf,
pretending they want to be near me.
3 ‘We have fasted before you!’ they say.
‘Why aren’t you impressed?
We have been very hard on ourselves,
and you don’t even notice it!’

“I will tell you why!” I respond.
“It’s because you are fasting to please yourselves.
Even while you fast,
you keep oppressing your workers.
4 What good is fasting
when you keep on fighting and quarreling?
This kind of fasting
will never get you anywhere with me.
5 You humble yourselves
by going through the motions of penance,
bowing your heads
like reeds bending in the wind.
You dress in burlap
and cover yourselves with ashes.
Is this what you call fasting?
Do you really think this will please the Lord?

6 “No, this is the kind of fasting I want:
Free those who are wrongly imprisoned;
lighten the burden of those who work for you.
Let the oppressed go free,
and remove the chains that bind people.
7 Share your food with the hungry,
and give shelter to the homeless.
Give clothes to those who need them,
and do not hide from relatives who need your help.

8 “Then your salvation will come like the dawn,
and your wounds will quickly heal.
Your godliness will lead you forward,
and the glory of the Lord will protect you from behind.
9 Then when you call, the Lord will answer.
‘Yes, I am here,’ he will quickly reply.

“Remove the heavy yoke of oppression.
Stop pointing your finger and spreading vicious rumors!
10 Feed the hungry,
and help those in trouble.
Then your light will shine out from the darkness,
and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon.
11 The Lord will guide you continually,
giving you water when you are dry
and restoring your strength.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like an ever-flowing spring.
12 Some of you will rebuild the deserted ruins of your cities.
Then you will be known as a rebuilder of walls
and a restorer of homes.

13 “Keep the Sabbath day holy.
Don’t pursue your own interests on that day,
but enjoy the Sabbath
and speak of it with delight as the Lord’s holy day.
Honor the Sabbath in everything you do on that day,
and don’t follow your own desires or talk idly.
14 Then the Lord will be your delight.
I will give you great honor
and satisfy you with the inheritance I promised to your ancestor Jacob.
I, the Lord, have spoken!”

To read the above passage and still wonder if the Lord is impressed with my fast from McDonald's is laughable. We fully embrace fasts from chocolate and other petty products and yet pack out our church houses on Easter Sunday as if we were sanctifying ourselves in the process.

It seems clear to me that the Lord desires a bit more out of us that just a simple little fast from something insignificant...and possibly even something of greater significance. The people of Israel were devoting themselves to true fasting and prayer...not from products like Hersheys...and the Lord still was very adamant about His expecations from them. He rebuked His own people and demanded that the fasting he desired was not one of reducing an action (e.g. eating) but promoting action (e.g. sharing His message so that Light is brought to darkness).

We as Christians now live in an era of easy. Many times (myself included) we do as little as we can to promote our mission. I can see the facebook statuses now...."Andrew is...fasting from (insert insignifanct thing here - coffee, fast food, coke, chocolate, etc)". When in reality, we should be less concerned with what we are taking away, and more concerned with a mission we should be adding.

Am I suggesting that you do not fast for lent? Well...maybe...but if that is all you get out of this blog, then you wasted a lot of time reading. No...I am not hating on or discouraging fasting...I am just promoting action.

I challenge you to be willing to add the task of meeting needs and bringing truth to the people around you. Instead of not eating and praying for strength to get through your fast...start dining WITH people and praying for truth to impact their lives.

This season, as Easter nears and the reality of a risen Savior is understood...take on the mission of impacting the lives of those around you. You want to show your devotion and prove that you love God...then do what he commands. Jesus said, "if you love me, then you will obey my commands"

We live simply to do this..."Love God...and Love People". This season, do not focus on what you are taking away....but focus on what the Lord would like to add to your life...and that is the blessing that comes with visible life change, and seeing lives change all around you. Get your hands dirty...and start serving others. That is true fasting.