Lent

What is the meaning of lent? Lent is the season of fasting, praying and almsgiving the 40 days before Easter. Merriam-Webster Dictionary (P. 506) defines lent as "a period of penitence and fasting observed during the 40 weekdays from Ash Wednesday to Easter by many churches." Lent is six and a half weeks or forty days preceding Easter/Resurrection Sunday the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is known as lent. Forty (40) days is significant in the Christian Community because Jesus fasted 40 days and nights in the wilderness before beginning His earthly ministry. The practice of fasting during lent season is where the participant usually gives up something (a less desirable food or a bad habit) that is replaced with something useful. The focus of fasting and praying is repentance and consecrating ourselves back to God. Keep in mind that believers are a set aside people and are to live holy lives before God. Therefore, when we fast and pray it is done to God in Jesus name. The question now becomes, Do we fast and pray only during lent season? No because prayer should be part of our daily lives. Prayer, daily Bible reading and meditation are the believer's communication with God for the purpose of establishing a closer relationship with Him. In doing so we spend time alone with God for His strength and power that will enable us to overcome self's fleshy desires. Therefore, if fasting is your practice during lent season, be mindful that Christ died for the sins of the world and all believers died with Him to sin and rose with Him to a new life. Then let us put away all sinful deeds that hinder our faith journey with Christ. We fast to cleanse the body of all sinful deeds that bombard us daily. Comments are welcome Author's contact wwhite@goodshepherdwritingandpublishing.com http://willie-writing.blogspot.com Follow me on Twitter, and Facebook. All works are available through Amazon.com, all Christian and major bookstore and from the author directly.