Why Am I Observing Lent?

Yet even now, saith Jehovah, turn ye unto me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:  and rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto Jehovah your God;  Joel 2:12-13 (ASV)

Okay, since my last post in which I hinted (I guess more than hinted) at the fact that I am participating in Lent this year, I have received several emails, nearly all of them asking – why?  So, if you are one of those who emailed me I have this to say – thank you!  I truly mean that.  Because of your simple question, I have (once again) been prompted to look inside myself to find out exactly that – why.  On the surface it was simple…I am participating in a little different church tradition than I had previously, so I thought I should experience it.  But, after some thinking and serious consideration, you get blessed (ha ha ha) with another episode of me trying to work something out!  Lucky you!!

Growing up Baptist, only the Catholics (and the one Ukrainian Orthodox) in my neighborhood participated in any type of Lenten fasting or self-denial. Listening to the kids in my neighborhood, I often wondered what, if anything, I was missing out on - other than the pain of no meat, or candy, or…

I am all too aware of the fears some have concerning the observation of Lent, or other such traditions.  The most succinct statement I can think of right now to summarize this concern is Calvin writing in his Institutes:  “There is nothing which God more abominates than when men endeavour to cloak themselves by substituting signs and external appearance for integrity of heart.”

But I have to wonder – does the simple doing of a thing make the fear a reality?  I mean really, is it possible that we can use a time like Lent to teach us a lesson?  To give us a reminder of an attitude and discipline that we can carry throughout the year?  Is it really wrong to solemnize a relatively short period of time to remember what the Christ has done for us? 

What if it was a part of an observance such as Lent that, while fasting (or any other kind of spiritual discipline), we constantly remember the words of God to tear our hearts and not our clothes?

So why am I observing Lent?  Because I am grateful (how inadequate is that?) for what Christ has done.  Because I will use this time to learn a spiritual discipline.  Because maybe during this time I will learn to rend my heart and leave my clothes intact.