Happy Mardi Gras!

Well today's Mardi Gras. I know it may be controversial to have a big party in New Orleans when so much of it is still wiped out, but I think that if the city is going to rebuild and really make a comeback, then they've got to cherish their heritage and "laissez les bon temps rouler!" (let the good times roll) So I was excited to see support fom the city with the parades and festivities. I think a good dose of optimism can be healing, and I hope the city is able to get back on its feet.

It took me a while before I really connected that Mardi Gras is tied to Easter since I didn't know much about Lent. That connection was always a bit fuzzy for me. But since then, I've learned that Mardi Gras/Carnival is the big blowout before Ash Wednesday and the 40 days of fasting until Easter. So I think that even if you don't necessarily celebrate Lent, that the concepts of fasting are totally Biblical. It could be a traditional fast with no food at all, or something different. On the youth group retreat, we asked our kids to leave the iPods, cell phones, and radios at home and go on a weekend media fast. It wasn't easy, but it helped everyone to focus.

I also think that 40 is a significantly recurring number in the Bible: it's the number of days Jesus fasted in the wilderness after he was baptized, the number of days of Noah and the flood, the number of days the men explored the land of Canaan, the number of days Moses was on Sinai, and I'm sure there are others that don't come to mind.

So, all this is to simply encourage you to find something to sacrifice for a time, say the next 40 days. It can be cokes, sweets, the radio, or anything that you do/eat daily, just something that you could give up and instead replace with a quick prayer thanking the Lord for his grace, love, mercy and salvation. Personally, I know that times of fasting truly have brought me closer to the Lord in ways unlike anything else. I especially think it can be so meaningful in preparation for Easter as we think about Jesus' journey to Jerusalem and his sacrifice there. Yes, it can be difficult. But it's nothing compared to the love and sacrifice of the Lord for you. And so, the times when you're craving ___ are times when you can draw near to the Lord.

So, it's just a thought. And an invitation to join me in prayer for 40 days. Lemme know if you're in for it and what you'll be fasting from...