Such a heavy devotion yesterday—sin, death, judgment. Today, maybe we should laugh a little. For those who celebrate such things, tomorrow is both Ash Wednesday and Valentine’s Day. Such a conundrum! Do we indulge ourselves in Valentine’s Day celebrations? Or, do we fast and sacrifice and deny ourselves because “lent” begins with Ash Wednesday tomorrow?
Feast or Fast? Celebrate or Sacrifice? Some are going to feel mightily conflicted tomorrow!
I’m not. As much as “they” would like us to think differently, Valentine’s Day is all about romance—not love. It’s fun for one day here and there, but romance isn’t lasting unless it is intertwined with the kind of love that expresses itself daily, even on the days when we aren’t so lovable.
I remember one of my children who always seemed to get sick in the middle of the night. He never learned to go straight to the bathroom and call for us from there. Instead he came to my side of the bed and would tell me he felt like he was going to throw up just micro-seconds before he actually did—all over me and the bed. Love was Bob getting up and carrying the boy to the bathroom, holding his head while he got sick again, and then getting him in clean pj’s and putting him back to bed – all the while I showered and changed our bed. Not real romantic, but I remember those times far better than the occasional romantic Valentine’s celebration in a restaurant.
And as for Lent/Ash Wednesday. Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross DAILY and follow me.” [Luke 9:23 NIV, emphasis mine]
Our sacrifice and self-denial are not limited to a day or even a 40-day season, it’s every day, 365-days a year, 24-hours a day.
