As I understand it, Homer Simpson loves donuts. So do I.
In fact, I love just about anything that’s sweet – donuts, cookies, candy (especially anything with chocolate)!
But I gave up all the sweet stuff for Lent.
That means I’ll be bypassing the See’s Dark Chocolate candies that sit in a bowl in our living room. That means I’ll not be eating those wonderful donuts that Gerry Schemers brings me every Friday. That means that I’ll be ignoring those Snicker’s candy bars that are strategically positioned around the grocery checkout.
Why give up anything? It seems that giving something up for Lent has gone the way of New Year’s resolutions. We invariably fail to do what we said we were going to do so why try at all.
I guess in the grand scheme of things, giving up sweet stuff isn’t a big deal.
Still, I’ll miss it. It might even hurt at times not to each all that sugar whenever I want it.
But, maybe, in some small way, it will remind me of the greater sacrifice my Lord and Savior made for me.
St. John called Jesus “the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.” Jesus sacrificed Himself for your sins and mine. He did this so that we might again be one with God the Father. Our relationship was destroyed with the Father because of sin. Jesus has put things right again for us through His obedient life, His horrific death and victorious resurrection.
Again, giving up sweets isn’t a great sacrifice. But if it helps me to see better the sacrifice Jesus made for me, so much the better.
What can you give up for Lent? What might help you see the sacrificial love of your Lord and Savior in an even greater way?
