I never given anything up for Lent.
In the beginning, I was simply stubborn. Then I got lazy. And then I became apathetic.
Who really cares if I stop drinking coffee? The barista at Starbucks? God certainly has other things on His mind besides my caffeine addiction.
And I do lack discipline at my very core. This makes sticking with anything completely impossible.
Excuses aside, I do actually have oodles of Christian guilt about my lack of giving up for Lent. This year, I attempted to stick with the Catholic tradition of no meat on Fridays. I totally broke down one Friday night at Pei Wei, when I had to have the orange peel beef.
A complete failure.
Then I started thinking about the Easter story. Lent, which begins on Ash Wednesday, symbolizes Jesus' 40 days in the desert, where the devil tempted him in all sorts of ways.
Seems given my track record with Lent, that I would have gone to the dark side super quickly.
But Jesus is the Son of God. And Jesus seemed to have the actual devil in front of him with bread. The devil is a bastard, isn't he?
And I don't think of barista Linda as the devil, even when she is waving a Venti Skinny Latte at me.
That just seems mean.
But, all Jesus had to give up was some bread and water and comforts. Not much, when you consider that later his Father would force him to give up his body and breath for all of us.
Jesus had 40 days in that desert. And then when He emerged, He began His ministry and His life work. He had 40 days to figure out what to with it all.
So this year, I am giving myself the full 40 days to figure out my sacrifice--one that is full and real and for God. God made this gigantic, epic sacrifice for me--his Son's flesh. Anything I choose will pale in comparison and that is just how God wants it--he is the big kahuna after-all--the one and only. And my latte, well, that might be just enough for Him.
In the beginning, I was simply stubborn. Then I got lazy. And then I became apathetic.
Who really cares if I stop drinking coffee? The barista at Starbucks? God certainly has other things on His mind besides my caffeine addiction.
And I do lack discipline at my very core. This makes sticking with anything completely impossible.
Excuses aside, I do actually have oodles of Christian guilt about my lack of giving up for Lent. This year, I attempted to stick with the Catholic tradition of no meat on Fridays. I totally broke down one Friday night at Pei Wei, when I had to have the orange peel beef.
A complete failure.
Then I started thinking about the Easter story. Lent, which begins on Ash Wednesday, symbolizes Jesus' 40 days in the desert, where the devil tempted him in all sorts of ways.
Seems given my track record with Lent, that I would have gone to the dark side super quickly.
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| Devil in a Latte. |
And I don't think of barista Linda as the devil, even when she is waving a Venti Skinny Latte at me.
That just seems mean.
But, all Jesus had to give up was some bread and water and comforts. Not much, when you consider that later his Father would force him to give up his body and breath for all of us.
Jesus had 40 days in that desert. And then when He emerged, He began His ministry and His life work. He had 40 days to figure out what to with it all.
So this year, I am giving myself the full 40 days to figure out my sacrifice--one that is full and real and for God. God made this gigantic, epic sacrifice for me--his Son's flesh. Anything I choose will pale in comparison and that is just how God wants it--he is the big kahuna after-all--the one and only. And my latte, well, that might be just enough for Him.
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