The Lenten Wisdom of Willy Wonka

 “I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope.” Ps. 130:5

I cannot believe Lent has already begun.  Lent, it is known as a season of waiting.  We wait with eager expectation for Easter morning, the day our Lord Jesus Christ rose from the grave.  Though waiting for this day is, well, a bit easy isn’t it?  It is easy because we know the outcome.  We know that through the waiting there will be great celebration!

Let’s think about that for a moment because I know I need too.  Waiting for this day is easy, because we know the outcome.  But what about waiting for other things in life?  I know I am waiting for some things, and I bet you are too.  I often wonder if God has not called us to the same easy, expectant, and hopeful—wait.  Easier said than done though isn’t it, I mean really, who likes to wait!  Remember Veruca Salt from the movie Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory?   She sings a song titled, “I Want it Now.”  I wonder how often we sing the same song of Veruca Salt?  (Of course if we have seen the movie we know what happens to Veruca now don’t we?)

I marvel at the psalmist who pens, “I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope.”  The Hebrew word for hope here can also mean and is translated elsewhere as ‘wait.’  Try reading it again now with the word wait, “…in his word I put my wait.”  We can have an easy, expectant, and hopeful—wait.  It comes through meditating on the Word, because when we get to know the Word, we get to know God.  The more we know God, the more we learn trust Him.  Is not that what it is all about, learning to trust Him?  That’s when waiting can become easy (or maybe easier if you’re a little slow like meJ). 

Lenten Reflections on Prayer

“To pray is to change.  Prayer is the central avenue God uses to transform us.  If we are unwilling to change, we will abandon prayer as a noticeable characteristic of our lives.”

 Richard J. Foster The Celebration of the Disciplines

We have just entered the Lenten Season, a season of prayer, fasting, and reflection as we prepare for the Resurrection of our Lord.  As we discern and seek God’s face for the direction of this church and our own personal lives, prayer is a must.  God will speak, but we must offer Him the space to speak. 

I love the quote above from Foster; I think sometimes we forget or don’t even realize this simple yet powerful truth concerning prayer.  Instead of prayer being an avenue to change our hearts, we make it a plea for God to change.  We pray, “God do this and do that, change this and change that.”  When it doesn’t happen we become indignant or discouraged.  Could it be God is waiting for us to ask Him to change us and not our circumstances, but our attitudes and perspective?  Jesus understood this concept.  When His disciples asked Him how to pray He responds in Matt. 6:10 “…your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” 

Yes, God wants us to ask Him for things, but ultimately He desires for our hearts to be in-line with His.  He really is in the business of changing people.  As we enter this Lenten season may our prayers be for God to change us and prepare us for the calling He has at First Baptist; so when He does lead us we will be ready and follow, not begrudgingly, but in faith. 

May God protect us from everything but His glory.  Amen.  (I stole that line from Beth Moore:))

Lent: Why I'm Observing

Lent begins today.  Lent is a time of preparation for the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Over the past few months God continues to hit me with the idea of preparation.  I’m afraid Lent is not talked about widely in some of our protestant denominations and is seen mostly as a Catholic tradition.  As a protestant, I must say, we need Lent too!   

We need to be prepared, we need times of consecration, to be set apart for the work God has for us.  Our Sunday school class is currently going through the book of Joshua, and I cannot even begin to tell you how many times this idea of preparation is woven throughout the chapters of Joshua.  The Israelites had to be prepared; God was leading them to take possession of the Promised Land.  I know God wants to do a work in me, and in the church Michael and I are at, but we must offer ourselves to the Lord for a time of preparation and consecration.

God wants to lead us to take possession of all that is ours in Christ.  This is why seasons such as Lent are so vital to our Christian life.  “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” Eph. 1:3  Yes, it’s time to take a step back, it’s time for a deeper commitment to prayer, to fasting, to self-reflection.  God longs to move in our hearts, our communities, and our churches.  He is waiting for us to surrender. 

At a time when I am feeling a bit unbalanced myself, I know this season of Lent is all the more important.  This Lent I want to know Jesus more.  I want to be completely utterly satisfied in Him.  I want to move on from fear and overcome strongholds.  I want to be more equipped to fight against the Enemy.  I want to be more confident in who I am in Christ.  I want to know His Word and Love like never before. 

I know God is calling me to fast, to pray, and to get into His Word with great feverency.  So this Lent I’m fasting from Television so I can regain my focus on Christ.   I know I’m not really giving up anything, but I am gaining everything.  More of Him.  Yes, more of Him.  I know the Bible tells us when we fast we are to do it in a way that does not bring attention to ourselves (Matt. 6:16). I don't share this to bring glory and honor to myself, I've done enough of that in my life, but I share it to encourage you and challenge you in your walk with Christ. I hope you can find something to give up so you can focus more on God and the plans He has for you.

Maybe you don’t know Jesus; maybe you don’t understand why I keep saying I want “more of Him.”  Friend, Jesus loves you dearly.  He lived a sinless life for you.  He died on the cross for your sins, and rose again to defeat all death and evil.  He lives, and if you would accept Him into your life, acknowledging your need for a Savior, He will forever change your heart for the good.  The love you so desperately long for, the lasting peace and joy your heart needs, it’s found in Him.  We all need a Savior.  Our Savior has come and His Name is Jesus.