A Very Lenten Ramadan

Episode 6

Hello, you’re listening to a podcast series called ‘A Very Lenten Ramadan’ in which I’m reflecting on my experience of a Ramadan style fast within Lent. It’s the end of the second last week of Lent and Ramadan is now over, but the Lenten period continues on.

And as it does so, at this stage, I think it’s easy to feel like it will never end. That it’s a never-ending time period, as opposed to being the Lenten season. A season of drawing closer to God as we draw closer to one of the high points on the Christian calendar: Easter.

This week, I’ve reflected on Jesus’ period of fasting that is recorded in the gospels. Jesus himself fasted for 40 days and ate absolutely nothing across those days. That’s seriously intense. Moreover, Jesus was in the desert at the time. That is some epic fasting.

As well as Jesus’ epic fasting I’ve reflected on the fact that, at the conclusion of his fasting period he was tempted by the devil. This is actually in some ways unsurprising. After we have a focused period of time with God, whether through fasting or otherwise, it is likely that we will experience spiritual attack. The devil has no interest in our drawing closer to God and wishes us to do the very opposite.

This, I was reflecting, doesn’t mean that we should never fast, or never engage in a focused time of prayer or Bible reading. That would be an overly fearful response. However, I think we do well to remember that such is the usual pattern of things and therefore, ready ourselves.

I was also reflecting on the cause-and-effect factor in it all. Is it because of fasting that we receive tempting? Or did we fast because the tempting was coming?

Hard to say, and after reflection, I’m not sure it really matters in the long run. The main thing is just to draw near to God and he will draw near to you, as we have an enemy who prowls around like a lion waiting to devour us – to combine two verses into one there.

So regardless of whether our praying invokes temptation or not. The point is – we prayed. And we are praying to God, who has the power to protect and guide us through the stormy seasons.

Speaking of seasons and high points on the Christian calendar, there is definitely more than one. The big two being Easter and Christmas.

This week I’ve been drawn to consider a comparison between the two seasons of Lent and Advent. Both of them are seasons of waiting. Of preparation and reflection. And, ultimately, of celebration.

Yet they are very different seasons.

Yes, Lent leads to Easter and Advent leads to Christmas, but there is such a different atmosphere and emotion surrounding the two.

For a start, Lent has fasting associated with it but Advent does not. Maybe Advent should? Or is that a terrible idea? Who can say? Well, actually judging by the amount of Christmas parties that get held in December it’s probably a really bad idea for the social calendar, if nothing else.

But that’s another thing. Advent is a season of anticipation but it’s also celebratory the whole way through, in a way that Lent is not. Lent is a lot more sombre. Lent goes through the darkness, the confusion and the valley of the shadow of death, before it gets anywhere close to the mountain top of celebration and victory on Easter Sunday.

Lent is a lot more earthy. Requires a lot more grit and determination. While Advent is having a party the whole night long.

Yet the Christian God is the God of both seasons.

And both fit with his character. It reminds me of a verse in Isaiah in which God is talking and says:

I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the LORD, do all these things.

I think in fasting this week it’s leading me to reflect on this seemingly contradictory tension in the character of God. I guess our human minds would like God to be simple, but God is God. No real deity could ever be simple.

So there are my reflections this week as we’ve almost reached the end of the season of Lent. Only one more week of fasting and one more reflection to go… and then I can start having a cup of tea at morning tea time again. And it’s probably a little bit pathetic just how much I’m looking forward to that.

But here’s to praying this final week of Lent draws all Christians to a deeper knowledge of the sacrifice of Christ and the profound mysteries within that horrific victory.