A Lenten Project

For the last several years, I have been an active participant in the season of Lent (the 40 days between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday). Briefly, since this post isn't about the theological underpinnings of Lent, the traditional practice during Lent is to fast - to give up something one values in order to devote the resources (time, money, etc.) you spend on the thing given up to a spiritual purpose.

My own personal Lenten fast has, over the last several years, involved a 40 day fast from caffeine and a 40 day fast from purchasing books. I confess, though, that last year I realized that what I was doing for Lent was all about me - there wasn't so much a spiritual dimension to the fasts as there was a "prove to myself that I can do it" dimension...and that is not what Lent is all about.

This year, then, I am trying something different. Rather than merely subtracting caffeine and book purchases from my day-to-day life (which I still plan on doing, by the way), I feel like I need to add something of spiritual value and import to my day-to-day life. So starting tomorrow, I am embarking on a 40-day schedule to read through the entire Bible - Genesis - Revelation. Between now and Easter, I will get a birds eye view of the whole of God's work on behalf of His people. I am rather excited.

In an effort to maintain my excitement and to further the impact of this 40-day addition to my life, I have further decided to take this Lenten Project into my own blogosphere. At some point each day - after I finish the reading - I will be posting some brief thoughts on what I have read. No promises that I will be extremely profound or that my musings will be life-changing. But I can promise that they will be honest and open reflections from my heart and soul as I take on God's Word.

I suppose you could say that this will be a 40 day unfast. And it begins tomorrow - with Genesis 1-30.