“Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams” (1 Samuel 15:22; all Scripture quotations are from the English Standard Version).

“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing” (James 1:22-25).

Today is Ash Wednesday, which begins the season of Lent. Many Christians will begin 40-day fasts leading up to Easter. We might give up chocolate, potato chips, coffee, television, Facebook, etc.

Will there be more to our Lenten observance? Will we draw closer to Jesus while we fast, or will it merely be a tradition we follow because we have always done it in our churches?

Scripture encourages us to fast (see Matthew 6:16-18). It just does not tell us when to do it. Lent is an ancient traditional season of fasting. We can approach it as a corporate fast, where an entire church commits to the spiritual discipline together.

However, obedience is more important than fasting or other forms of sacrifice. In 1 Samuel 15, King Saul was preparing to lead his troops into battle but was told to wait until the priest/prophet Samuel arrived to offer a sacrifice to the Lord. When Samuel did not arrive as early as he expected, Saul took things into his own hands and offered the sacrifice himself. Under the Old Testament law, kings could not offer sacrifices; that was exclusively a priest’s responsibility. Saul had sacrificed; he had done the religious rite. However, he had not obeyed God. As a result, God would remove the kingship from him.

We might still be tempted to put sacrifice over obedience. We might go to extra worship services at church, give up a favorite food or hobby, or make some other sacrifice in the name of Lent. However, these have little or no value unless they lead us to a deeper level of true devotion and discipleship with Jesus.

As I was preparing for Lent this year, I found an article by former Charisma magazine editor J. Lee Grady urging readers to learn how to obey the Holy Spirit’s guidance. I usually increase my prayer time and Bible reading during Lent. However, what good is it if it does not lead to action? As we read Scripture, are we asking God how we should respond? Or do we look for excuses why it does not apply to us? Maybe we critique it, deciding it is irrelevant in modern times. Perhaps we finish reading, check off some chapters on a checklist, and immediately forget what we read.

Perhaps, as we go about our days, we might encounter somebody and suddenly think, “He or she needs to know about Jesus.” Do we take the opportunity to share something about what He has done for us, or do we decide, “But I’m too busy. Let somebody who knows him better preach to him.”

Perhaps this Lent, we can prioritize seeking to know God’s will and acting on it. If fasting does not lead us to God’s will, it has become an idol and is no longer a spiritual discipline to draw us closer to Him. May we learn to seek and do His will always.

Lord, as we begin a season where we reflect on our need for forgiveness, let us remember that we need to know and do Your will. Speak to us through Your Word and by the Holy Spirit so that we can follow You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Are you observing Lent? How will you observe? Do you expect it to lead to a lasting permanent impact on your relationship with Christ? Share your thoughts in the comments area below.

Copyright © 2024 Michael E. Lynch. All rights reserved.