Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the
Lenten season, walking with Jesus toward Jerusalem, to a cross on a hill, to a
borrowed tomb, how can someone prepare for a journey like that? What could
anyone possibly do to get ready to die…for a whole world of sinners?
In the last few years most of us have
heard people talk about their bucket list. In fact I think there was a movie
made about two guys who had bucket lists. You know what a bucket list is, don’t
you? It’s those things you want to do before you die, kick the bucket, go to be
with the Lord, you know.
Jesus knew; he knew his ultimate
destination. He knew and he tried to prepare his friends, the disciples for
what he knew was inevitable. How did Jesus, the human part of Jesus, get
himself ready for this? How would we get ready?
Ash Wednesday is the first day of a
rather lengthy time of preparation for the journey of Lent. Think about how you prepare for an extended
trip, say around the United States. What do you do to get ready? Or how do you
prepare for the new arrival of a child in your family. Or what’s involved in
getting ready for a wedding? What’s the
first step?
This season is similar to these
events…except…we aren’t preparing for a joyous celebration. We’re preparing
ourselves for a time of repentance. We’re being asked to think about the ways
we’ve turned away from God. We’re being asked to repent, turn completely
around, make a U-turn and go in the opposite direction from what we’ve been
going. Repentance is about turning back to God.
How do we do that? How can we
reconcile ourselves with God…with our friends…with our family…with the stranger
in our midst?
Fasting is an important theme during
Lent. Fasting reminds us that we aren’t
passive, helpless human beings at the mercy of the world surrounding us. We’re
able, with God’s help, to take control of our lives, to reject those things
that hurt and harm us…and our neighbors. Fasting is a tool to help us prepare
for reconciliation.
But, I’ve got ahead of myself. What
steps do we take to get ready for a journey, to go on a trip? Some of us make
lists. Some of us make lists of our lists. Some of us find the lists we used
the last time we took a trip.
So, what kind of list would we make
for this Lenten journey? What do we need to take with us? Do you have any
ideas?
Our lists may contain a variety of
things. I would think I’d have my Kindle with 2 or 3 different versions of the
Bible. I might commit to spending time each day reading and reflecting on a
Lenten devotional. I might decide to give up something, something from the world
that keeps me from talking with God, something to remind me to sit and talk
with Him or Her. And I would most certainly make time throughout each day to
sit and talk, pray and listen, with God. I might see if I could locate a
like-minded group of folks who might like to get together and read and dissect
God’s word, and pray with and for me and I for them. I think that would help me
on my Lenten journey.
What would you have on your lists?
What might be helpful to us is to see what Jesus did as he journeyed to
Jerusalem and the cross.
When we read the gospels we find that
Jesus went away, to be alone, to talk with his Father. He did that many times.
Sometimes his friends had no idea where he’d gone. He went to the Temple or the
synagogue to worship and hear God’s word read and proclaimed. And…he was with
the people…healing, teaching, touching, laughing, and eating.
We don’t read that Jesus fasted (I'm mistaken here. Jesus fasted for 40 days & nights in the wilderness. How could I miss that?) but if
we think about it he did give up things. He had no possessions other than the
clothes he wore. He depended on God to take care of him through his friends.
What he really gave up was his life…for us…so that we might live. That seems
like a major sacrifice to us. And it was when we consider the pain and torture
he endured. That makes giving up chocolate for Lent not such a big thing…or
Facebook.
So, good friends, this evening is the
beginning of the journey. Are you ready or do you need to make your list…or
find your list? The journey begins
tonight. Let’s go with together, praying, listening, touching, and holding each
other up when we need a little help.
Thanks
be to God for his grace. Amen.