The Stamina of Lent

For the casual church-goer, where going to church is more a matter of habit than heart, the annual observance of Lent is a mystical mystery. The average evangelical, even fundamentalist Christian, does not even possess the sacredness of these weeks preceding the celebration of our blessed Lord's resurrection in THEIR lexicon of belief. Like the actuarial fact that every 188 days an earth-occurrence (earthquake, volcano, tornado, flood, etc.) event occurs somewhere in the world, most just approach physical and spiritual events with casual indifference. “According to the nutty-fanatics, there may be something to it.” God knew when He created mankind, that even in church congregations, there are two groups, one group INTENT on obedience, desiring heaven, the rest busy with the world, flesh, devil CONTENT on busting hell wide open.

For the Christian, particularly Catholics, Lent is the 40 days preceding Easter, in Christendom, celebrating the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. Without the resurrection, our faith is in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:14) The greatest act of obedience comprehended by the mind of man, the son of God is obedience to His father, sacrifice-atonement on the cross for the sin of the world, past, present, future. It is the faithfulness of Jesus Christ that we celebrate... that God putting His wrath for the sin and sicknesses of the world on the one whom He loved best, SUFFICIENT forever.

The traditional Catholic, and many Christians, believe that this is a time for repentance, increased giving, and self-denial. Many repent by giving up some luxury of their daily lifestyle or even fasting and food.

It is this writer's firm conviction that repentance is a turning from sin, born again, new creation, and in our daily walk as a Christian, the denial of self. (Luke 9:23) In taking up our cross daily, we become a living sacrifice, transformed. (Romans 12) We are Ambassadors, foreigners, peculiar people, strangers and pilgrims our citizenship in heaven. (1 Peter 2:9)

Impetuous Peter, “rock” who knew the failure of warming himself at the enemy's fire, denial, yet could preach with such conviction that 3000 were saved on the day of Pentecost. (50 days after the resurrection)

This writer suffers from constant agony that those who are chosen, those who believe, those so blessed, are so lackadaisical in their election, are agonized that those who are lost, and really do not care, have no idea of their fate. The greatest joy the human heart can know, “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.” (Philippians 3:10)

For those giving up steak or liquor for a few days, those who think that your signature on a church membership card will suffice, even if you have been baptized in every baptistry, sprinkled by every ordained hand, basic Christianity leads you to the parable of the sower. Jesus tells you that unless you understand the parable of the sower, you do not understand anything about His book.

Same seed, same sower, different soils. Some seed, (God's Word) fell on the wayside, (sidewalk) no soil-interest, bird feed: Some seed fell on rocky ground, little soil but with sunshine and rain, the seeds sprouted. Much excitement in the beginning but with no rooted foundation. First stress-doubt, plant death: Some seed fell among thorns-bushes. These plants grew but, the cares of the world, deceitfulness of riches, lust for other things, no development: But, God is in charge-makes the choice, some fell on good ground and brought forth much fruit.

I so remember the farms of my great grandparents, grandparents, parents. Before the time of grocery stores, etc. my great grandfathers had so much knowledge of plants, trees, even the grafting of fruit trees. They had remarkable fruit. (pear-apples, etc.) Trees which produced fruit, year after year, always dependable. This is what God expects from those He has chosen for Himself, every day of every year.

Often, on my many trips to Jerusalem, I would walk the stations of the cross... those dirty streets where our blessed Lord, beaten and broken, dragged that cruel tree. At the ninth station, he fell the third time, why not just lie there? What other horrific things could they do, despised and rejected (Isaiah 53:3) He would be nailed on a cruel cross, giving Himself for the sin and sicknesses of the world, past, present, future. All prophesy, all promises, in God's book, are in past tense. He knew what was expected of Him and we know what is expected of us. You can play around with church if you wish, God gave us free will but I warn you not to “mess around” with God, man made traditions, man made ideas of fairness, man made ideas of superficial repentance. If you choose Jesus, you must lose the world, take up YOUR cross daily.