post lenten reflections 1

this year i decided to do lent a little differently. part of the reason for that was because i didn't really think of anything to give up around lent time. another was that i wasn't theologically ready to do so. as i contemplated lent and what it means during lent, i thought about how necessary it is for followers of Christ to have the same attitude outside of the lenten season that they do during lent. part of lenten theology is giving up something that you have a lot, or think you can't live without, in order to think of Christ and his ultimate acts of self denial in going to the cross. Jesus utterly denied his will when he went to the cross. as a human being, he wanted life, not pain and suffering. thus, why he asked God for God's will, not his.

so, with that, monday i began a post-lenten journey. my goal is to make the way of the cross ever more evident in my daily life, not just forty days before easter. there are several things which i am attempting to give up this year. it will be a task which goes against my will, and that is my goal.

in these first few days of my journey, one of the biggest ideas which has been floating around my mind comes out of the book of philippians. there we see a verse which says do nothing out of selfish ambition, but in humility consider others above yourself. how utterly revolutionary of an idea! how many followers of Christ actually live this out? my guess is not many. i most certainly do not. however, i've tried to let this pass through my mind often in the last couple of days. i pray that it is not just often, but always.

the journey continues,

rjt