by Phillip Sigmon
As followers of Christ we are pilgrims. We journey along the way that Christ has taught us, bringing us closer to God.
Lent was one of the first rituals in the early church. Those who were new initiates in the Christian life would spend the 40 days before Easter preparing for baptism. Afterwards, they would take their first communion. Lent was an intensive time for the initiates of fasting, prayer, contemplation and education on their new faith. It was preparation for a new life and the end of an old. It was the beginning of a long walk with Christ towards God.
As followers of Christ today, as with our brothers and sisters in the early church, Lent is a time when we remember and reenact Christ’s time of fasting and temptation in the desert. It is also a time of expectation of Christ’s resurrection and our salvation that we celebrate in Easter.
During the Lenten season, my own journey with Christ is one of need. As I look forward to the time of fasting, I am reminded of the ways that I fall short of Christ. I am reminded of my sin and the ways I am tempted to look for happiness in places far away from God. As I fast, it becomes apparent to me how much I need my savior. The exercise of fasting is a part of my walk with Christ—one that leads me in a continued journey to be like the One I walk with.
Let us continue our pilgrimage.