So, there we are. Ash Wednesday marks the start of Lent and it was during Lent last year that the full enormity of the COVID-19 crisis became recognisable. Countries went into lock-down; people reacted in their own ways to restrictions. Initially there was panic buying in the UK as folk stocked up on the most extraordinary range of things. When it all started, we cherished a hope of freedom by Easter; now we cherish the same hope but if I were you, I would not be specific about which Easter you are looking to.
Traditionally Christians have given up things for Lent. This was originally linked with Jesus’ forty days of fasting but has developed into a cross between tokenism and doing things that ought to have been done any way, like breaking a habit of bingeing on [insert your weakness]. The modern response is all well and good in its way, but does it do anything for us, or for God?
Jesus went alone into the wilderness. In the wilderness his time was spent in prayer, with his Father, as together they prepared him for the challenges ahead of him in what we now call his ministry, culminating as it did in our rejection of him. Fasting was part of this but do not think so much about the fasting as the point, instead, think of Jesus’ focus on the Father and their joint objective as the point. I may reflect on the other aspects in the next week or two but for now, let us keep our minds on the point.
As we move into Lent, what is the point for us? What is the objective that we share with God for the near and medium term; in other words, what is our real Calling? Plenty of people give us advice just as Jesus received advice, not least from the Devil. The extent to which each of us sifts the noises coming from all around and, by keeping locked on God’s gaze, continues to re-prioritise and re-order our lives in the context of our Calling will determine our response to a myriad of needs, noises, and nuisance.
A good place to start thinking about this is by giving up being distracted by noises off. Easier said than done of course, but greatly helped by starting every day with a clear head and a fixed gaze. Give up chocolate if it helps you, but more importantly, start by checking over the daily routine and if the first hour or so does not have a time in it for reappraising the day in the context of Calling, try re-ordering it. If there is no time in the morning, then probably you are spending too long in bed relative to the pressures of the day.
No one can tell you what your Calling may be; we may help one another test a Call as we do when God’s people candidate for the Ministry, but that initial conversation is between God and each individual. This is awesome, mind blowing, something for real delight and put like that I can see why irrelevant indulgences need to be stripped out of the way but that is secondary to the point.
A prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, your time alone in the wilderness with God prepared you for so much, and during it you faced up to much. Help us and by your Spirit strengthen us to focus constantly and certainly daily on the things that matter because they are what we are Called to do, or to believe. We thank you for your example and pray for your sake; hear us, God our Father.
Amen.