Lent is here, and as we embark on this season, it’s important to pause and reflect on its significance. Some of you may have taken my Lent quiz on social media (and I have to say, the results weren’t great!). But whether you aced it or struggled, today we’re going to take a moment to reorient ourselves to what Lent truly means.
What Is Lent?
The word Lent comes from an Old English term meaning “springtime.” Before it signified the season leading up to Easter, it simply meant lengthening, referring to the longer days as we move toward spring. But Lent is not just about the lengthening of daylight—it’s also about the stretching of our souls.
Think of yourself as a well. You know where the bottom is, but during this season, we dig deeper, allowing God to expand our capacity for His presence. Lent is a time of preparation, a time to stretch spiritually so that when we arrive at Resurrection Sunday, we are fully prepared to celebrate Christ’s victory.
The Purpose of Lent
Lent is a 40-day journey, mirroring the 40 days Jesus spent fasting and praying in the wilderness. But He wasn’t the first to undergo a time of 40 days in spiritual testing—Moses spent 40 days on Mount Sinai, Elijah journeyed for 40 days, and the Israelites wandered in the wilderness for 40 years. The number 40 in Scripture is associated with trials, growth, and transformation.
Through fasting, prayer, and other spiritual disciplines, we step into the life of Christ, allowing God to shape us more into His image. This season is about humbling ourselves, acknowledging our need for God, and preparing our hearts for the glory of Easter.
When Does Lent Begin and End?
Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and lasts until Maundy Thursday, the day before Good Friday. The word Maundycomes from the Latin mandatum, meaning “command.” On this night, Jesus gave His disciples a new command: Love one another. He also instructed them to do this in remembrance of me, instituting what we now call the Lord’s Supper.
From Ash Wednesday to Maundy Thursday, we engage in a season of fasting, prayer, and repentance, leading us into the events of Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and ultimately, Resurrection Sunday.
The Meaning of Ash Wednesday
Why do we receive ashes on our foreheads at the beginning of Lent? The ashes we use come from the palm branches of the previous year’s Palm Sunday. Those same branches that symbolize Christ’s victory are burned to remind us of our mortality and need for repentance.
In the Old Testament, ashes were a sign of mourning and grief. When we place ashes on our foreheads, we are acknowledging our sinfulness—our need for Christ. As David wrote in Psalm 51:
“Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.”
Lent is a time to recognize that the cross is my fault. It is our sin that made Christ’s sacrifice necessary. The ashes remind us of our frailty, our need for redemption, and our dependence on God’s grace.
Why the Mark on the Forehead?
You may wonder why we place the ashes specifically on the forehead. Throughout Scripture, a mark on the forehead is a sign of belonging. In Revelation, God’s people are sealed with a mark that signifies they are His. Similarly, on Ash Wednesday, the mark of the cross on our foreheads declares to the world:
We belong to Jesus.
But this mark is not just an outward sign—it should reflect an inward reality. The people of Jesus are those who humbly acknowledge their sin, who recognize their need for God, and who bow in repentance before Him. The ashes and the cross symbolize our identity as people who depend on Christ for salvation.
A Time for Reflection
As we begin this season of Lent, let’s take a moment for quiet reflection. Psalm 51 reminds us:
“My sin is always before me.”
Can we say the same? Or has the busyness of life distracted us from the reality of our need for God?
Let’s ask the Holy Spirit to convict us, to open our eyes to our sin, and to remind us of our desperate need for Christ. May this be a season of true repentance, deep transformation, and preparation for the joy of Resurrection Sunday.
