Cleaning out the Spiritual Refrigerator

Once per week, just before the milkman delivers, I clean out the refrigerator. It's never a fun job. Usually I find moldy rice or rancid sour cream or slimy, rotten cilantro. It's a new adventure every time I open the door and start inspecting containers and drawers. Thinking about this task this morning as the milk was delivered, I realized how much this Lenten season is like cleaning out our spiritual refrigerators.

I've been a follower of Christ for about 12 years. I went to church as a young child, Catholic with my dad and then Lutheran for a short time after my mom and dad divorced. So, while I may have experienced the Lenten season as a child, I don't remember anything about it except for giving up some particular food item or activity. This past week, when I realized that Ash Wednesday was only a few days away, I began thinking and questioning: What is the spiritual significance of Lent? And what does it mean for me as Christ's follower?

Lent, for those who don't know, is a 40-day period beginning on Ash Wednesday and is celebrated for the purpose of preparing the believer—through fasting, personal reflection, prayer, repentance of sins, and charity—for the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday. While the number 40 has many biblical implications, some say the 40 days of Lent are representative of the 40 days that Jesus' spent in the desert just prior to the establishment of his ministry here on earth. Christians of many denominations for centuries have observed it.

As I researched the foundational reasons for observing the Lenten season, (second only to Advent) it occurred to me that Easter might have a deeper and more personal significance to each of Christ’s followers if we set aside an extended period of time for self-denial, prayer and reflection on our sinful condition apart from the saving grace of Jesus Christ. Lent is not typically observed by Evangelicals, but it seems to me the evangelical church should at least consider revisiting what has been considered by many to be a time to spiritually refocus our lives, especially amidst our culture that is growing more secular in nature as each second passes.

Now I am not in any way suggesting that we, as Christ’s follower, become fixated on any tradition. The Bible clearly warns us about allowing our traditions to force Jesus to the backseat of our lives. But before we decide to throw out the customs that serve to aid us in our journeys toward consecration or sanctification, consider the example of our Lord Jesus who set aside time not only for daily communion with God, but before times of testing and trial, and for longer periods of self-denial, prayer and preparation as well.

So, I don’t know about you, but personally, I feel my spiritual refrigerator could use a good cleaning. I’m not affiliated with any of the denominations that observe Lent as a congregation, but am choosing from the prompting of the Holy Spirit on my soul, to enter into a 40-day observance of fasting, personal reflection, prayer, repentance of sins, and charity. I don’t expect it to be a fun job. In fact, as I inspect the deep recesses of my heart and life, I anticipate finding some areas of my walk with Jesus that have begun to grow mold or turn sour. So I pray that as I move through this journey, God would create in me a pure heart, […] and renew a steadfast spirit within me. (Psalm 51:10, NIV). That He would be glorified in my body, mind and spirit and that I can celebrate once more, the resurrection of my Lord and Savior with a new appreciation for how he has changed me from the inside out.

I pray God blesses you in your own spiritual refrigerator cleaning.

© 2009 by Stephanie French