Lent Week One: Lay it Down

So today, is the first day of Lent 2019. It’s Ash Wednesday. I’ve put this video at the top because I want you to be able to listen first. I want you to be able to get into the frame of mind of worship before you step into this season of reflection. I may do this every week for you, because I’ll be doing more of it myself. There is nothing like worship to get you in tune with the Holy Spirit.

The lyrics to this song, called “Simple Gospel,” by United Pursuit are so simple and perfect. Lent is about letting go and letting God so he can come closer to us.

I want to know You, Lord
Like I know a friend
I want to know You, Lord
I want to know You, Lord
Like I know a friend
I want to know You, LordSo I’m laying down all my religion
I’m laying down
I want to know You, Lord
I’m laying down all my religion
I’m laying down
I want to know You, LordI use to think that I could box You in
But I’m laying down
I want to know You, Lord
I use to think that I could box You in
But I’m laying down
I want to know You, Lord

Lent seems like such a religious holiday, as it is. But I see Lent as an invitation to come into relationship with God, to drop the pretenses and just let God in. I love how they talk about laying down your religion, and how they used to think they could box God in. Boy do I get that. How often in your life have you tried to box God in? 

But he doesn’t want to be in a box. He wants to be as close to you as your breath, as close to you as a heartbeat. Lent is a season to connect to him like that. 

And I reach out and You find me in the dust
You say no amount of untruths can separate us

He finds us in the dust. “…for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” Genesis 3:19

We all know that verse. We were made from dust and we will return to dust. 

But I think there is more to the story than this. There is more that God wants us to do than get our ashes, give up meat on Fridays or give up chocolate, or Facebook. Those are all good things that can open up our hearts and time to a deeper connection to God, but they can also be something else. They can cause us to focus more on our suffering than His or more on our pride in giving up what we did than on Him trying to humble us. 

This morning, I found myself in 1 Peter and I think it’s going to be the book we focus on here this lent. There are two verses in 1 Peter 2 that remind me of where we need to be at this time of year. 

Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice, and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. 1 Peter 2:1-3

These are heart issues, deeper issues that we need to let God work on in us at times of reflection. These are the things that create the need in us for that spiritual milk that we feed on by connecting to Jesus in relationship and reading the Word. God wants us to grow up in our salvation, not stay stagnant.

The other verse,

Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. 1 Peter 2:11

Lent is about abstaining from things so we can let in the Lord a little bit more. But we have to remember that those things we engage in that distract us from him, wage war against our soul. What are the things in your life that wage war against your soul? That attack your mind? That make you believe what the world says about you over what God says about you? 

We all have 40 days to think about these things and reflect. 

In Matthew 4:2, we know Jesus was was testament for 40 days and 40 nights. We know he was tempted by the devil and told lies. We are told lies by the devil every single day as he uses the people, the situations, the things in our life to try and make us believe God isn’t there or we aren’t enough. You will be tempted this Lenten season and I just challenge you to recognize when you are told the lies. Recognize when you are tempted and lean into God because he is always leaning into you. 

Your temptations are not unique. The devil knows what he’s doing, and tempts all of us. He just knows how to tailor the attacks to our personal weaknesses. Take this time over the next 40 days to challenge him, to get in the Word more, to drop the need to follow the religious rules and let the Lord be your strength.

No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. 1 Corinthians 10:13