Sunday, March 14, 2010

Lenten Thought

As I have complained before, I am not a fan of the pithy church sign.

Last week I found another one that has made me think good thoughts (not the ranting blogger kind):

Lent is not about what we give up,
but what we make room for.

Which is so true.

Knowing Christ isn't about a big DO NOT list that we look at with pride (or shame) as we check off the boxes.

Dr. Ted Kitchen's of Christ Chapel Bible Church once said something like this: When I think of the Christian faith I don't look at the cross and see all the things I give up, I see it as a big plus sign. It's not what I give up but how much I gain.

So too is this beautiful, sorrowful, purposeful season of Lent.

It's not what we give up, but what we make room for...

5 comments:

Carpool Queen said...

I like this. It feels expansive and giving -

The Lord Family said...

Thank you for sharing this!

Anonymous said...

so true! :-)

Hillcrest Cottage said...

I was challenged at church last night to make Christ the center of my entire reason for existing on this planet.
We were asked to reflect upon our lives BEFORE Christ and, then, about all that we had gained through Him.
When I think about the gaining part...it becomes a lot easier to simply leave the other stuff behind in the dust.
Like the basement I have to clean once a year...what I gain is so much better than what I had to throw away!

"I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish in order that I may GAIN Christ." Phil.3:8

Gretchen said...

Wonderful. I like my (bloggy) friend Cheryl's suggestion of picking up something during Lent (e.g. acts of kindness), as well. Kind of along these lines, actually.