Fasting For Lent

Did you give up anything to celebrate this past Lenten season? I'm curious about what other Christians are doing to mark this celebration.

Every year (since I've become a practicing Christian), I am faced with the challenge of how to mark or celebrate the Lenten season. Though I am a Baptist by denomination (and Baptists don't typically don't celebrate Lent), I am moved by the thought of using the Lenten season to remember the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made for us on the cross.

For background, Lent is the 40-day period prior to Easter Sunday (excluding Sundays). The period of 40 days is representive of the 40 days Jesus spent in the wilderness, being tempted by Satan. During that time, he fasted. During Jesus's 40 days in the wilderness, Satan tempted him with all kinds of things - wealth, power and authority - if Jesus would bow down and worship him. Jesus refused and resisted everything the devil offered - because he knew the real deal - there was only one true God, and Satan wasn't Him. And, furthermore, that Satan didn't truly have the power to give Jesus all those things he was promising - all things belong to God and Him alone.

(A good article on Lent can be found here.)

So, it is very easy to draw the analogy between what Jesus did (resisting evil) and our ongoing battle to resist temptation. And to incorporate fasting - which is what people do during this season - fast, or 'give up' certain items, as a means of following in Jesus's footsteps. A time to become closer to God and reflect on who He is and what He has done for us.

So how was your Lenten season? Any thoughts on how Lent should be celebrated?



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