“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” (Matthew 5:8, ESV)

Fasting is the spiritual discipline most closely associated with Lent. In fact, before we had the word “Lent” (which dates from around the 12th century), it was often just called “the forty day fast.”

“And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.’ The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness.” (Mark 1:11-12, ESV)

Repentance is the central purpose of Lent because sin is the central reality in our lives. As long as we fail to see this, as long as we think of sin as some side note to our being, as something we do rather than something we are, we are failing to really see the depths of our desperation and wildness of the salvation offered to us.

Lent is a time of consecration. It is a time set aside for us to intentionally dedicate and rededicate ourselves to the work of the Lord, to bringing our efforts in tune with the work of Christ. His forty days shape and guide our forty days. And so at the end of our forty days, we hope to arrive at a place like the place to which Christ arrived at the end of his.

Every year for 17 centuries, in the 46 days leading up to Easter, the church has set aside a season to prepare for the rejoicing that is Easter. Practices have differed during that time, and so there is no one right way to observe Lent. But there are patterns and principles. What I want to do over the course of the next 7 weeks is to look closely at these practices and principles, with the hope that you will find inspiration for your own walk of discipleship.