Today is Ash wednesday which marks the beginning of Lent. Lent is a word from the Latin meaning ’40 days.’

In the late Middle Ages, as sermons began to be given in the vernacular instead of Latin, the English word lent was adopted. This word initially simply meant ‘spring’ (as in the German language Lenz and Dutch lente) and derives from the Germanic root for ‘long’ because in the spring the days visibly lengthen.

So what does Lent mean for you?
Some of us seek to use Lent as a time to pray or fast from something. Many churches do Lent courses or pray in special and specific ways.

The period of time many people associate with Lent is Jesus’ 40 days in the wilderness. In Luke 4 we read that Jesus, being full of the Spirit is led by the Spirit into the desert. 14 verses later we see that Jesus’ status has changed. It says “Jesus returned to Galilee in the POWER of the spirit.”

Whatever happened to Jesus in the desert resulted in Him changing from being FULL to be EMPOWERED.

You and I need to be both too. We desperately need God’s filling and power if we are going to see His kingdom come in our time.

In this season of giving up and self-discipline, I pray that we will be LENT (leant) the Holy Spirit in greater measure; that we will be cleaner vessels for His dwelling and His purposes.

Father make me pray differently in these next few days. Make me hungrier for more of You and less needy of the appetites of the world. Help those today for whom fasting is not a choice, but a way of life due to lack of food and poverty. As I go without certain things, teach me to realise that I never go without YOU.

Amen