A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God". Isaiah 40:3
Today is Ash Wednesday, the day marking the beginning of a 40-day observance of the season of Lent practiced by a vast number Christians around the world from many church backgrounds. The 40-day fast was mentioned and recommended as a part of the preparations leading up to the “Holy Week” as far back as 334AD. It was a part of the regular rhythm of church life remembering Jesus’ work and life and continues to be practiced by churches using a Common Lectionary or following a liturgical calendar such as Anglicans, Lutherans, Methodists, Presbyterians and of course Catholics.
To many Evangelicals the season of Lent barely receives a nod. In fact, it is often scoffed at as being a Catholic observance so viewed with suspicion, shunned, and avoided at all cost. I have noticed and experienced this in many circles I am part of even now. Although,I have also noticed over the last decade there has been an openness for some evangelicals, in a few small pockets, to value the of observance of religious seasons and days celebrated throughout the liturgical calendar as part of their annual rhythms, deepening their relationship with Jesus and cultivating adeeper life in the Spirit with intentionality. Not in a return to religiosity but as a discipline or practice to assisting the reorientating their lives toward God and His Kingdom.
It was a few years ago that I rediscovered the season of Lent personally, which was very different than my childhood experiences. As a child, it was all about sacrifice to please God, a God who had a lot of rules but was distant and hard to please. There was a huge disconnect of how rich and transformative a season dedicated to prayer, fasting, and giving could be in my life and how I originally viewed and experienced the season of Lent. Notice in this passage of Isaiah 40:3 that the “voice is calling” not from the wilderness but rather calling to help US prepare IN the wilderness!!! I discovered that as I intentionally I prepared the wilderness places in my heart and life for the LORD, He met me in ways that were profound and so beyond what I ever could have imagined. As I reorientated my heart and life towards Jesus for a season and engaged in the practice of releasing things, “fasting”, by engaging in practices of self-discipline they reminded me that God alone is my all-sufficient provider. It helped shift my focus from what I want or think I need to focus intentionally on God and others. I encountered more of the loving heart of God towards me and began to see things that were dear to His heart. Often times I had viewed the season of Lent as what do I need to give up rather than what can I embrace to draw closer to the heart of God.
Lent is a season to pray, fast and give.….it is not that these thing in and of themselves purify or give us special standing with God but rather if done with the right heart, open us up to the work of the Holy Spirit in us. David’s heart expressed in Psalm 139 can help us prepare our hearts with right motives for any Spiritual practices we engage in. “Seach my heart oh God, test me and know my thoughts, point out anything that is offensive to You”. This heart prayer surrenders our way to the way of God and His leading, His transformation of the wilderness places in our lives that a limited or void of His goodness and life.
I have experienced that asking or inviting folks to observe aseason of fasting and inner reflection is a hard sell. We love to look at the season of Advent and the waiting of Emmanuel God with us. We preferto gloss over some of the uncomfortable stuff. We struggle with spending much time in the Passion Week and the angst the Lover of our soul experienced. Times of abandonment, betrayal, and severe brutality. We wince at the idea of Jesus on the cross and sanitize it as best as we can but we quickly celebrate that resurrection Sunday is coming. We readily acknowledgeand celebrate His ascension to the Father in heaven with fondness as we know we will one day join Him. Yes, we should celebrate these things!! That is not my point but I feel we do ourselves a great disservice if we avoid the hard stuff, those painful and difficult parts of His story and our stories. Just as we are learning from our current series in Job, it is in pain and suffering, the empty places, we can have the most life changing encounters with God.
The season of Lent can be used a as helpful way to declutter our frantic paced western life, a time to fast from the fast food our culture feeds us and feast on more of God, a way to reorient our hearts towards Jesus and His desires for our lives…. will you join me this season?
I have provided a Lenten reading plan for you. There are also many great Lenten plans to follow. Such as the Lectio 365 app and on the Bible app-Lent2026, Journey through Matthew&Psalms, https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/66606-lent-2026-guided-journey-to-matthew-psalms
Fondly, Melody
