On Fat Tuesday, we eat paczkis, gorge on chocolates, and finish up the TV series reruns before we have to give it all up for 40 days on Lent.
When Easter comes, we rejoice that we can once again indulge our sweet tooth on chocolate Easter bunnies and turn on the TV to satisfy our desperate need for entertainment.
Remind me again of the reason we give up these things?
Self, and all the rest of you, do you rush through time with a life-giving friend to get home to watch your show? Do you excuse yourself early from a dinner date with your love to get lost in a pile of meaningless FB likes and empty candy wrappers?
When you love someone, being with that person is the reward. I don't have kids, but I've heard so many parents say they want to hurry up and finish their work day to get home to be with their children. I've heard so many grandparents say they wish they lived closer to their grandkids. Just to be with them.
We are not naturally selfless, which is why Lent can be so helpful - to train our hearts and minds to turn to Christ, our Savior and Lord, whenever we are tempted to look to our niceties for satisfaction. We do not naturally love our Lover, which is why we must be intentional about setting aside precious time to gaze into His eyes and be captivated by His love alone.
What if we looked forward to Lent? It may be a time of sobriety and reflection, but what joy to walk and talk with our Friend! Why would we dread such a privilege, when sharing in Christ's sufferings means to also share in His glory (Romans 8:17)!
What if on Fat Tuesday, instead of one last effort to enjoy life before drudgery, we had a celebration, rejoicing that we are about to commence on a journey with Christ to the cross, a journey to know Him more and share in His sufferings and resurrection and glory and Life!
Christ is the treasure. Christ is the reward. Celebrate today, and walk with Him every day this season, clinging to the hope of the resurrection. Grace and peace to you.
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