Lent: The Divine Exchange

Published: March 30th, 2009

“Not all who wander are aimless. Especially not those who seek truth beyond tradition, beyond definition…” (Mona Lisa Smile, Sony Pictures, 2003)

I always liked the pancakes and the Easter eggs, but the bit in between was another matter. In my mind, Lent was always that time of year when my chocoholic friend, Rachel, gave up chocolate. She was grumpy for the first two weeks and guilty for the other four. Lent was the period of time in the spring when everyone was having another go at failed new-years resolutions, were evaluating how unholy they were and were getting duly depressed in time for Easter. I always proudly boycotted the boycotting, unfazed by the raised eyebrows of people who said “but aren’t you a Christian?” I could never quite equate the law of Lent to the grace of Easter. So in search of a Lent that made sense to me I went wandering in the desert…

The Lent fast began several centuries after the resurrection of Jesus and though there are various possible origins to the fast, there are two principle traditions that the early Church developed into a Lent fast. The first tradition represents the fifty days the disciples waited for Pentecost. The second marks Jesus’ forty days in the desert, which modern day Lent principally observes. Whether before or after Easter, the origin of Lent takes us on a journey.

Not all who wander are aimless. The Holy Spirit, after landing on Jesus, declared Him to be “my beloved son in whom I am well pleased.” He then led Jesus in the wilderness for forty days. Jesus spent six weeks alone with Holy Spirit and was ministered to by angels. His fast was time in the presence of God and angels, being fed from another world. He was not hungry until the last day. Rather than a period of self-denial and temptation, the fast was a time of infilling, communion with heaven, meeting with the manifest presence of God, being empowered, equipped and developing intimacy with Holy Spirit. Temptation and Satan himself then stood no chance with Jesus.

Likewise, with the alternative origin of Lent, the hundred and twenty disciples were devoting themselves to prayer in the upper room when The Holy Spirit came and filled them and the room they were in. They too were empowered and in-couraged to be and do all that God had for them. They had Holy Spirit boldness that led them to the ends of the earth and many to a martyr’s death. The same men that deserted Jesus because of fear, were now fully devoted to him in love.

These two origins of Lent both describe a season of taking time away with Holy Spirit and encountering the power of the living God. When this occurs, we are given grace to live the life he has called us to. His love affirms our identity as “beloved children in whom He is well pleased.” Every encounter with the Holy Spirit results in a greater awareness of who you are and His love for you.

At some point we are going to have to believe that His blood was enough. It is a truth that the church embraced penitence for presence. We are justified and glorified in Christ. We need to know who we are as sons, heirs and saints. Because refusing to believe who we truly are is the first and greatest temptation we will come against. Satan’s first attack on Jesus was to challenge His identity: “IF you are the Son of God…” The greatest sin is to deny with our lives what Jesus did for us. We need to live from salvation and adoption, not for it.

The result of this is great fruit. When we know who we are and know our free relationship with the Father, we start to live from God not for God. We don’t try and earn our salvation, favour or acceptance. We know that He adores us and even…likes us!! As adopted sons and daughters, we adopt His DNA, His likeness and we become like Him. We are just as He is. Intimacy produces the fruit that effort can never produce. We lose our sin nature, we love like our Father, we give generously, we have no fear and complete courage, we see people’s potential, we care for the orphan and widow, we have the power to heal the sick, and we have self control and peace. Intimacy with the Holy Spirit produces all the fruit you’ll ever need.

So as we celebrate Lent, lets step into this season of intimacy with the Holy Spirit. Lets make a divine exchange: all of us for all of Him. Jesus and later the apostles needed time away with Holy Spirit so that they were supernaturally equipped to do all that they were called to do.  How much more do we need a Lent season so that we can do the ‘even greater things’? Celebrating Easter in its fullness, is living in the fullness of what it did. Let us prepare!
 

Sarah Bainbridge is a vital part of the Living Generously team.  She liaises with Charities, writes articles and develops the team!  Sarah has spent time in India working with communities rebuilding their lives after the Tsunami and is currently living in Redding, California, where she attends Bethel ministry school. Her passion for God, life and laughing are infectious!

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