Forever feasting

“They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb.” Psalm 19:10

Are you giving something up for Lent? Traditionally this time of preparation for Easter is a season where we stop, take stock of ourselves and confess our sins to God. It is also a time for fasting, denying ourselves something in order to focus our minds on Jesus.

This can be a really helpful discipline and not only during Lent. Fasting allows us to step out of our usual patterns and dedicate ourselves to God with both our mind and our body. Fasting, however, must be something we choose to do. If we do it out of duty, or obligation, or to impress others, then it really isn’t worthwhile. Fasting is only valuable when we willingly lay down something in order to draw near to God.

So Lent can be a time of fasting in one way or another. But it would be wrong to think of Lent as only a fast. It is also a feast. Maybe not feasting on food (that will come on Easter Sunday as you unwrap all those lovely Easter eggs!) but there are other ways of feasting. In Lent we can feast on God’s word.

Psalm 19 talks of the beauty and value of God’s word. It describes the word of God as immense value, more precious than the purest of gold. But it also describes God’s word as delicious. It is sweet and good to eat; it tastes good in our mouth and in our heart. God’s word is sweeter than honey, fresh from the honeycomb.

If you have given up sugary things for Lent, perhaps those words are already making your mouth water! The sweetness of God’s word is open to us at all times, even during Lent. We may fast for time, but we are always feasting on God’s word. We may give up sweets and chocolate, but we can always know the sweetness of God’s word on our lips.

Photo by Hunter Trahan on Unsplash