Pancakes & Prayer

Today is Shrove Tuesday, more commonly referred to as “Fat Tuesday.” The reason it is called “Fat Tuesday” is because, historically, you would get rid of all the sugar, fat, flour and eggs in your home in preparation for the fasting season of Lent, which begins the following day on Ash Wednesday. For this reason, many people eat pancakes on Shrove Tuesday. I am, quite simply, a lover of tradition. I decided to wake up early this morning and spend some time having pancakes by myself. 

I wanted to enjoy some alone time to consider the season of Lent. I’m a cradle Episcopalian, and my church is Anglican (i.e. the Church of England), so Lent has always been a part of my life. I’ve spent a lot of time meditating about Lent this year in particular, though.

Allow me to back-up a little bit…

In November 2010, I traveled to the beautiful country of Israel and had the life-changing opportunity to visit the places where Jesus lived and ministered to the people. Even a year-and-a-half later, it’s quite difficult for me to verbalize my experience in the Holy Land. As a friend said, “It’s like drinking the ocean through a straw.” There is more to drink and absorb than you can possibly imagine, and God continues to quench my thirst by revealing more of Himself to me through the new perspective I was given via this journey.

On a small boat in the middle of the Sea of Galilee, where Jesus calmed the storms and walked on water, I celebrated the Eucharist while a sweet man from Israel named Peter played “Amazing Grace” on the violin. In Nazareth, I walked through the home that many believe was Jesus’ childhood home. I imagined him playing on the floor with his friends and having lunch with his family. I placed a tiny note, a prayer for friends and family, in the Western Wall in Jerusalem. In Cana, where Jesus performed the first miracle of turning water into wine at a wedding, a priest prayed over me that God would bless my future husband and marriage.

Perhaps the most moving experience of all, though, was spending a short period of silence and stillness in the same desert where Jesus wandered for 40 days and 40 nights. After winding through narrow roads on a crowded bus, we arrived in the heart of the wilderness. We dispersed and spent about 30 minutes alone… alone with our thoughts and the silence of the wilderness. The only word that might come close to describing this place is sublime—a mix of fear and awe. Though overwhelmed by the beauty of this magnificent empty space, I imagined how scary it would be in the night… in the pitch black, left alone with the sounds of predators and temptations and one’s own thoughts.

Here I am in the Judean wilderness.

There is a beautiful monastery built into the side of the mountain. Amazing.

 Jesus fasted during those 40 days. Can you imagine how hungry He was? With every growl of His stomach, though, Jesus would draw nearer to God the Father.

Lent is a season that allows us to open our hearts to a special time of cleansing and refreshment through repentance. Lent is the 40 days from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday, excluding Sundays. Jesus was alone in the wilderness for 40 days and 40 nights while the devil tempted Him in every possible way. The purpose of Lent is not another New Year’s Day. It’s not merely another opportunity to start a diet or to quit a bad habit. The purpose of Lent is to prepare your heart to celebrate Christ’s triumph over sin on Easter Sunday. He died and was resurrected to give us life—and life eternal. This season of Lent is a time of penitence—it’s a time to examine our own hearts and cleanse ourselves of sin. It’s a time to tell God that we want to be closer to Him… and then to actually make a move closer to Him.

When you fast or when you “give something up”… you’re supposed to be reminded of why you gave that thing up and turn your eyes and heart upward. Last year, I gave up all soda. This was a real sacrifice for me because it was something I enjoyed every day. Every time I would want to order or drink a Diet Coke, I would remember why I wasn’t drinking them. Seize that moment to turn your eyes upon Jesus. We give something up to gain something infinitely better—a deeper relationship with the God who saved us.

“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.” Acts 3:19

The joy of self-examination, of acknowledging your sin and shortcomings, is that Christ is the only one who can (and WILL) restore us. I always reflect upon Jesus’ time on the cross. The criminal hanging next to Jesus on the cross asked for forgiveness moments before his death. Jesus welcomed him into the Kingdom. Jesus offers forgiveness and everlasting life to all who profess him as Lord and Savior. He will never give up on the hope that you’ll follow Him. That is how we should redefine love.

The posts and photographs on this blog are typically full of, well, things. Many of you probably will not read this post in entirety, either, for its lack of glitter and sweet nothings. I believe, though, that the Holy Spirit put this message on my heart to share with you all. If even one person who reads this gains a new perspective on Christ’s infinite love FOR YOU, then it was worth it.

This season of Lent, I encourage you to spend time every day with God. You don’t have to come to Him with the baggage of your past. Come to Him where you are, just as you are. Allow Him the opportunity to reveal His great love for you. If you want to be closer to God, he will never deny you. This Lenten season, I hope you (and I!) come to more fully understand the depth of Christ's redeeming love.

For my Lenten discipline, I'll be writing a daily devotional for the 40 days of Lent.
If you'd like to receive my devotional, please leave a comment with your e-mail address, or send your e-mail address to SouthernVogue@gmail.com.