Holey, Wholly, Holy: A Lenten Journey of Refinement
I have spent many years watching as many of my friends would walk an aisle in church to receive ash marks in the shape of a cross on their forehead and discuss what they were going to give up for the next 40 days. Then, for that many days, I would hear them complain or comment about what they were giving up.
Lent
What I never heard was the “why”. Why walk through Lent – only to complain about it? Was it really worthy it?
No one offered a reason and I never asked. I thought it was some code language someone would ‘let me in on’. And I thought perhaps God would share that information with me if He wanted me to know it.
Now, I know because I read Holey, Wholly, Holy, by Kris Camealy. While reading this amazing book about Lent, I discovered the why.
Kris’s own journey through Lent, researching, asking and reading she found that “what God calls us to give up, really, is ourselves. The paltry offerings we prefer to give up, while they feel challenging, are perhaps less pleasing because we fail to give up the one thing that stands between us and Christ. Ourselves.”
Sacrifice
Through Kris’s words I find that Lent is a season dedicated to giving up something I would normally enjoy. The irony is found in the truth that she shares – that one thing we really need to give up or sacrifice is ourselves. It sounds easy enough, doesn’t it – just give up our own needs, desires and focus on God. But, as Kris points out, to do this, we must travel through ‘redemption’ and in that place we run into our old ‘shame, arrogance and pride’ (paraphrase). While we might desire to run away, if we take a step toward that beautiful cross, we can find the beauty of true sacrifice.
After all, Christ already paid the true price for our sins. His sweat poured out with blood the night before he was purged for the sake of those who would give up the same thing – our own lives.
Accountability
Accountability and Lent? No, I haven’t lost my rocker here- stay with me. In Holey, Wholly, Holy, Krist shares how she tried to hide from something that God kept calling her to remember and face. Oh, sweet sister, how often do we try to run, hide, cover up or just flat out ignore something so we don’t have to really face it? All too often, we will even run to friends and form some sort of accountability alliance with others hoping to ‘change’ but still finding it possible to gloss over the ugly covered up behind the makeup, laughs and giggles. But the Holy one, He knows our hearts, our hurts, our struggles and our sins. Only when we do what Kris did – where we sit and ask “What is it I need to see, Lord?” can we TRULY find accountability that sinks through our hearts and to our souls.
This is life-changing accountability.
Sin
It entered the world in a garden and causes every heart to be born unpure. The only way we can be purged of this horrid word is through confession and true repentance. That confession can come only AFTER the accountability, the Holy Spirit opens our heart – and “We lay bare our hearts before the Lord, a cutting of sorts, allowing the poison to bleed out…...”(Kris Cameally Holy, Wholly, Holy) Through that purge, the confession, the dying to self, we can live Lent and Easter everyday of our lives. Accountability and confession are only worthy of our time when we sit and repent – truly TURN AWAY from the sin that is crouching at our door. Only when we die to our own selfish sinful ways and lay that sin-idol down and walk the narrow path are we truly able to shine the light that Christ wants to illuminate.
This year, travel through Lent and the days to come with the comfort and truth of Holey, Wholly, Holy: A Lenten Journey of Refinement. Kris’s words will leave you nodding your head, crying and knowing you are not alone! We are not meant to walk this path alone. The road is narrow and it is difficult finding those truly on the path, but Kris’ words will remind you, the path has been created for you – what’s important is keeping your eyes open for the one who paved it with his own blood.
Rebecca, these words are such a gift to read. Thank you for joining me on the journey, and holding my hand along the way. I am SO grateful for you, and I am praying for you, as the Lord works in your heart. He knows what you need and He will faithfully draw you to Himself. Love you!
He’s blessed me with a new friend – to walk through the fire…and refine me – thank you for helping me keep my eyes on him!!
I guess I still don’t get it. Lent, that is. I’m not trying to be argumentative, I truly want to understand the WHY behind Lent. What you wrote in this post was great. Yes, we should be aware of our sin, yes we should repent, and all of that. But when Jesus died on the cross, all of our sins were forgiven in that moment. We need only now to accept His forgiveness. So I still don’t understand how giving up something for 40 days out of the year is necessary. Yes, God says “Be holy for I am holy.” But if what you are giving up for 40 days is making you more holy, then that means that it makes you unholy the rest of the year, which means it’s a sin, and you shouldn’t be doing it at all. Any so called “sacrifice” that we make “for God” is no comparison at all to what He did for us worthless sinners. We will never come close. Is there some Scripture I’ve never heard of where Lent is described or practiced? By the apostles or the early church, perhaps? Because, truly, if it’s in God’s Word then I would like to know. I just don’t see how the so-called purpose behind Lent as you have described above isn’t something we should be doing always and not just for a few days.
Stephanie, I don’t think you are being argumentative at all. I totally get where you are. YES – it is something we should do every day- die to ourselves. And maybe those 40 days are about giving up one of the ‘little’ things that we might take for granted to remember – that God even cares about those little things. I have lots of little things – coffee first thing, the right creamer in my coffee, my hot showers in the morning, my time with God in a quiet home…..what if I gave up some of those – instead of coffee, I have no coffee and it takes me to prayer and remember God wakes me up – maybe that’s it. The book is really good… I really do recommend it whether you partake of Lent or not. Im not sure I’ll partake of Lent – yet…. but this book, has opened my eyes to something new.
Stephanie,
http://alwaysalleluia.com/ebook I hope you’ll grab your copy, I’m praying for you as you read. feel free to email me as well, (kris(at)alwaysalleluia.com)
I am so glad you commented here. I’m just going to jump right in and try to help explain this a little more clearly. You are right, Jesus finished the work on the cross, we are forgiven, but simply accepting that forgiveness doesn’t always come easily for everyone, just because grace is available to all, doesn’t mean all will claim it–and even for those who do, getting there is not always an easy path. Giving something up for 40 days is not necessary for salvation. The practice of Lent is not mentioned in scripture though the significance of the 40 days of Lent are commonly understood as a reference to the 40 days Jesus spent in the wilderness before His crucifixion. Lent more regularly came in to practice in the very early days of the church (circa 300 A.D) Lent serves as a time of reflection on the crucifixion and preparation for the celebration of the resurrection of Christ. The idea of “giving-up” something for Lent (the fast) is also a remembrance of Jesus’ time in the wilderness. There is plenty of biblical support for fasting, which you can easily find (Acts 13:2, 414:2, Matthew 6:16-18, etc) Our fast is not meant to compare to the sacrifices God made on our behalf. The point of a Lenten fast is to turn our focus to Christ. By turning from those things which we otherwise worship or focus our attention on, we can seek Him fully and allow Him to further sanctify us by the letting go of that which distracts. And you are right, part of what I mention in the book is the idea that lent may be a season on the liturgical calendar, but really, we all live small seasons of Lent again and again through out our Christian walk. The beginning of the book has a section called, “Why Lent”, I think that section would help answer these questions you have. If you’d like, you can read the book for FREE, just go here and sign up for your free copy.
I’m so glad I wasn’t the only one who was clueless about Lent, Rebecca! But what I’m mostly grateful for is I’m not the only one willing to be challenged by it. Looking forward to seeing how Christ works through you this season!