Living in the Now: Keeping Lent

Lenten fasting is the ultimate practice of creating space for being: deliberately making room to be with the God Who is very now-here. This is a season of being in relationship with God, rather than crossing the fine line of sacrificing a guilty pleasure to learn more about God.

My 98-year old wise mentor said we would all have our hands full for the season of Lent if we truly practiced Sabbath keeping. "Why is everyone so afraid of rest?," she asked. She's totally right.

This challenge was set before our congregation:

This Lenten season, let's consider abstaining from a source of comfort that would be a substitute for God. Let's also consider taking up the discipline of moving toward one another in community.

Both sound pretty uncomfortable. And relevant. This is my Lent to learn to blurt my opinion less often, and hear more quickly. To ask better questions of my neighbors, to make space to hear God's answers.  Practice dying to self, and to hear God's heart.