TAKING UP ... NOT GIVING UP!

During this time of year, Christians around the world are observing the season known as Lent. It is a season of preparation leading up to the annual celebration of Easter. While our culture typically thinks of Christmas as the biggest Christian season, the church, from its beginning, clearly understands that the celebration around which our faith is built is the celebration of Easter. Every Sunday is considered to be a "little Easter" celebration as we celebrate the gifts of the risen Christ.

And Lent is a time that Christians prepare for the primary celebration of Easter. Lent is a time of self-examination. It is a time of repenting ... turning back toward God.

For many people it is a time of "giving up" something for Lent. Usually, it is something symbolic like meat or sugar or chocolate. It is a form of fasting in which we are to empty ourselves (or give up something) to make room for God. In a very real sense, however, I see this as a "taking up" instead of a "giving up." Sometimes we spend the entire season working diligently to be sure that we have "given up" something that we miss the point that our primary job was to "take up" the journey with Christ.

So as you move through this season, my prayer is that you will "take up" Christ! May Christ be with you as you journey through the days of Lent, and may the joy of Easter be made more real because you have filled yourself with the God of our salvation.

Grace,
Jeff