Over the years, I have tried several different Lenten practices. I've given up chocolate, only to find that I love strawberry sundaes. I tried fasting one day a week, but I struggled to focus on God and not on my growling belly. I think my most successful Lent was when I was 10 and I gave up fighting with my mother, which astonishingly worked and greatly improved our relationship.
So today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of a new Lenten journey. I haven't been thinking much lately about what I could "give up", especially since I am finally feeling better and am trying to "get back" my life. Then I read this passage from Isaiah that was part of a Lenten devotion series my husband is doing again this year:
Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them, and not to hide yourself from your own kin? *Isaiah 58:6-7*
I meditated on this as I walked my dog and the Spirit led me to a wonderful practice for this year's journey: connecting with those in need. What better way to draw closer to God than by reaching out to God's children? So each day I will challenge myself to find ways to connect with those in my neighborhood and community who are in need. This may take on many forms - applying for social service jobs, exploring volunteer opportunities, or even just spending time with someone who needs a friend. And I will post each day about what I did and where I saw God. After spending the better part of the past two years focusing primarily on my life, my health, my illness, my issues, I think that this practice will help get me off my couch, away from my TV, and focusing on God's kingdom here and how I can help those in need.
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