Prayer: Today’s Opportunity by Scott Lyons

Prayer: Today’s Opportunity
Scott Lyons
2/25/2013
Lent is a season in which not all Christians participate, but one of which most are generally aware. Generally, the more liturgical the community, the more it participates in the liturgical year. But because Lent is the season that precedes Easter, many—regardless of their participation in the liturgical year—begin to consider this time as preparatory for that celebration. We try to be more conscious of the time we are in and the time that is coming, so that our lives take on a dynamic that one hopes could be described as a kind of consecration, such as the life illustrated in Frances Havergal’s hymn “Take My Life and Let It Be.” If treated so, Lent has the potential to begin transforming our daily lives into living prayers. Of course, our lives should always be such, but the season helps to make it a more conscious, visible thing to us. Lent serves as an aid, a reboot.

So if I consider undertaking some small sacrifice during the season—eating sugar, for example—it stands to reason that when I want to eat sugar but deny myself, then each opportunity to eat sugar serves as a reminder of Christ’s Paschal Mystery. Each opportunity to drink soda, which I have given up for Lent, becomes a prompt, an opening for me to step into prayer and thanksgiving, and an opportunity for boasting in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ (Galatians 6:14). And though it may be a seemingly insignificant thing, we offer up this part of our lives to Christ, who has offered up his very life for us.

Of course, we can and should go further. We can give up sin; become more conscious of the anger, pride, or lust in our hearts; and begin dealing with it intentionally. In this way we can throw ourselves into prayer when tempted to yell at our children, to revel in controversy, or to entertain impure thoughts. This kind of participation in Lent allows us to begin to pray through the temptation because we are on the lookout for it, because we’ve become watchmen. Our lives themselves then become a prompt, urging us toward Christ.

As such, Lent is a time to begin again—a revival, if you will. Springtime. A time to renew our commitment to Christ, stepping back from the busyness of life in order to reevaluate it. Is my life conforming to Christ’s? Do my wife and children experience the love, kindness, and gentleness of Christ in me? Do I love God above all else? Do I demonstrate this love in my love for others? For whom do I live? Whose am I?

Lent can serve this purpose. Any time can, of course, but do not allow this “any time” to rob you of the opportunity presented today (Hebrews 4:7). It is no good to say, “I can consecrate my life to Christ whenever I like,” and then do nothing. All such little rebellions wound us, for they are done out of pride and judgment, not out of love. In doing so, we simply do not consecrate our life—as if we were promising to diet in the morning while sitting down to a bowl of ice cream. Use the church’s seasons, such as Lent, to conform yourself to Christ. Lent stretches out before you. Do something with it. Let it do something with you. It is time to pray. Spring is coming.