During Ash Wednesday service today, the pastor posed an interesting question. He said most people talk about and decide what to give up during the 40 days of Lent. "What if," he asked the congregation, "we ask ourselves instead 'what will I take on this Lent?' " In a culture where multi-tasking has become second nature, you may say to yourself there is no possible way you can take on or add one more thing to your already maxed out, double-booked schedule. I agree and am right there with you in that mindset, however, please let me finish.
The pastor went on to say that this "item" need not be anything heroic, earth shattering, or necessarily worthy of a journal entry. He suggested allotting just five or ten minutes a day to quiet and still our minds to focus on and become more aware of God's presence in our life. Referencing Mark Francisco Bozzuti-Jones' book, "Never Said a Mumbalin' Word," the pastor said that Jesus never mumbled a word. Jesus did, however, take time to be quiet in His Father's presence.
The pastor's message was truly an answer to prayer. In contemplating how I would observe this Lent season, I prayed last night that God would show me what He wanted me to give up for Lent. My "aha moment" came in the realization of how AMAZINGLY He answers prayers; and in most cases, not at all the way I thought, wanted or had in mind but rather in a way that I end up being blessed more than I could have ever imagined.
Perhaps we could follow Jesus' example to afford ourselves a few intraspective and reflective moments in our crazy, busy days? To me, this doesn't sound like a sacrifice, per se, but a welcomed moment of calm in the sea of chaos I call Monday through Friday.
