WHAT have you given up for Lent?

In the early days of the church, new Christians went through a long period of study and preparation before they would be baptised at Easter.

The last part of that preparation was 40 days of penitence – looking at what they had done wrong and asking for forgiveness – shown by fasting and prayer.

Soon the church realised that this would benefit all Christians.

Forty days of a simpler life, 40 days of putting right the mistakes we have made, 40 days of improving our relationship with God.

In the Bible, the number 40 signifies transformation People don’t change immediately.

We need to move from one space – physical or emotional – to another by gentle steps.

We need an opportunity to drop the old pattern of being and get ready for a new adventure.

The children of Israel under the leadership of Moses escaped from Egypt and wandered for 40 years in the desert.

They needed time to change from being an imprisoned institutionalised people, to a people who were going to be free - free to make their own decisions, free to provide for their families, free to worship God in the way they chose. A huge change, that needed time for adjustment.

In Matthew’s Gospel we read that Jesus started his ministry by spending 40 days in the desert fasting and praying, concentrating on his relationship with God and resisting all other temptations.

What makes a good relationship? Why do we like our friends?

How do show our love to people who are important to us? The two most important things are communication and presence.

We need to talk to our friends, and we need to spend time with our loved ones. If we want the relationship to flourish we minimise our differences.

How much does it really matter if the dishwasher is loaded wrong, or if they can’t read a map?

We learn to curb our own annoying ways of behaving … maybe not squeezing the toothpaste from the middle, or leaving dirty cups out.

But what about our relationship with God?

What do we do to grow our relationship with God? To make a good relationship, we need to spend time with the other person.

So in Lent, let us intentionally make more time to be with God.

Make a space in your busy day to just sit and be, to look at the world around you, to appreciate the beauty and complexity of the natural world.

Spend time in God’s presence. And communicate with God.

Don’t’ just bombard Him with requests but thank Him for the good and beautiful things that have happened for you.

The words of Psalm 46 say it all “Be still and know that I am God”.

So this Lent, why not take up making more time for being with God?

Antonia Tregenza

Licensed Lay Minister

Crediton Benefice Community