A New Lenten Fast -- Social Distancing in this Pandemic

This morning I was reading the lovely Lenten book, 40 Days of Decrease (Alicia Britt Cole). It has been my habit day by day and year by year. Each day the author suggests a new fast — for instance, fasting regret, fasting criticism, fasting religious profiling, etc.

Well this morning, all of a sudden, I realized that we have a perfect fast going on…not by choice but by necessity. But we can make this fasting from social interaction, spiritual by our attitude and our offering.

How so, “offering”?

Why not offer it to the Lord as a sacrifice of worship and contemplation of HIM!

Quiet to contemplate HIM — rather than to socially interact with each other.

Solitude to surrender to HIM — rather than to the frenetic running hither and yon.

Let’s give it a try and see what happens.

And then follow us right here for the reposting of my Lenten series: Jesus’ Last Words from the Cross. Let’s focus on Him. He will get us through by His mercy and grace.

Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name. And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God.
Hebrew 13:15-16 NLT

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.
Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
Romans 12:1-2 NLT